Leslie Vale Tibbetts was born Friday, July 19, 1963 at Epworth Hospital in Liberal to Gerald “Jerry” Arthur Tibbetts and Billie Steuart (Jones) Tibbetts. As the sixth child, Leslie was welcomed home by two brothers and three sisters.
With her sister by her side, Leslie’s last breath occurred in the morning hours of Nov. 12, 2025 in Sapulpa, Okla. as she returned to her Creator’s loving arms.
As a baby, Leslie was blessed into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in Liberal. At the age of 15, Leslie was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.
The Tibbetts family moved to the Woodbury farm in Beaver County, Okla. in the summer of 1969. Her education began when she was enrolled into first grade at the Garrett School system. The summer of 1972, and after completing her third grade, Leslie and her family moved into the Cafkey house in Beaver, Okla. She started the fourth grade at Beaver Elementary with many classmates she would later graduate with nine years later. During her schooling, she was inducted into the National Honor Society, worked as a school office aide, marched with the band as a flag girl, cheered on the Dusters as a cheerleader and embraced her love of singing. Leslie graduated from Beaver High School with the Class of 1981.
Leslie moved away from home when she applied, then was accepted, to Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Okla. in the fall of 1981. Along with general education, Leslie’s studies focused on the sciences.
Leslie married her high school sweetheart, Dale Murray, May 19, 1983 at the First Christian Church in Beaver, Okla. The couple initially set up home in Beaver, where Leslie worked for the Beaver County Coop; however, Leslie’s management skills and bookkeeping abilities, they moved to Perryton, Texas, where she became manager of the Pizza Hut in Perryton and then in Shattuck, Okla. Their two children, Christopher Alan and Bradley Sean, were born during their time in Perryton. The family moved to Enid, Okla., and Leslie worked at the Dillons bakery and K-Mart while having a home business. From there, they moved to Phoenix, where Leslie worked for the Honeywell Corporation and then later moved to Colorado Springs, Colo. Isolated and on her own, Leslie decided moving closer to her family and settled in Liberal again. While here, she welcomed another son, Benjamin Julio.
Leslie always had a knack with her interpersonal skills along with business, so while working at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, she attended Seward County Community College, graduating in 1997 with her Associate of Science in accounting degree - Cum Laude. Leslie was drawn back to Enid, Okla., where she worked at Vance Air Force Base. She loved her Christian family at Oakwood Christian Church in Enid. She enjoyed singing in the choir and also performed for weddings, special occasions and funerals. Leslie had her last son, Codei Hunter, while living in Enid. Sadly, he was only with her for 10 weeks before God called him Home again.
Starting a new beginning, Leslie and her son Benjamin moved from Enid to Wichita. Here, they both co-owned and operated their Internet Café, serving homemade bierocks (the first of its kind in Wichita). She continued her education, taking classes at both Wichita State and Newman Universities. Leslie’s eloquence and attention to detail helped her successfully write grant and business proposals during her lifetime.
During the later years of her life and as her health and walking became an issue, she moved once again to Liberal. She was there until her sister and family moved her to Sapulpa, Okla. to care for her.
Leslie is survived by sons: Christopher and Bradley of Pratt and Benjamin of Tulsa, Okla.; grandchildren, Wesley Davin Ligget and Ashlynn Ruby Murray; siblings: Lorrie Kygar (Jud), Valarie Franco, Russell Tibbetts, DeWayne Tibbetts (Karen), Micky Brown (Fly), Audie Tibbetts (Cheri) and Heather Garnett (Murray); many nieces and nephews; and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Leslie was preceded in death by infant son, Codei Hunter; her parents; grandparents: Audie “RC” and Florence Jones, Chester Tibbetts and Lois Robinette; uncles, Alvin Tibbetts and Richard “Lyle” Tibbetts; sister-in-law, Mary Tibbetts; ex-husband Dale Murray; and friend, Clifton Price.
Leslie’s warm and beautiful smile is always remembered as is her trustworthiness and love for God and family is truly missed by family, friends and strangers alike. We Love You Sister!.
• Celebration of Life services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at New Beginnings Global Methodist Church at 123 N. Ninnescah Street in Pratt with Pastor Mike McGovney presiding.
Memorials are suggested to the care of Micky Brown, P.O. Box 18, Kiefer, OK 74041.
Paid obituary
