Leanne Whiteside Mansell

Professor LEANNE WHITESIDE MANSELL, 65, Ed.D., University of Arkansas at Medical Sciences faculty member, loving wife and mother, true force of nature, lost her spirited fight against cancer on December 18. A memorial tribute is planned for Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m., at the Ron Robinson Theater in the Little Rock River Market District. She is survived by her husband, Tony; daughter, Meredith; brother, Bob (Debbie); sisters, Jana (Anzonettie) and Lori (Ian) and a multitude of fabulous nieces and nephews. Leanne is also survived by an infinite number of friends who cherished her. Born in Cotton Plant, Ark., Leanne attended Hendrix College, got her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and received her doctorate from the University of Memphis. After working at UALR for many years as a computer specialist, and becoming a driving personality in the UALR community, she left there to work at UAMS. This offered her the opportunity to help those less fortunate, particularly children. Her extraordinary work at UAMS benefited countless people and will likely benefit generations to come. Leanne joined the UAMS faculty in 1999 and directed the Research and Evaluation Division (RED) in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine for 12 years. UAMS colleagues remember her unstoppable whirlwind of curiosity, statistical acumen, and unrelenting compassion for others. Under her leadership at UAMS, RED grew to include eight faculty, increased its staff members by 40 and attained tens of millions of dollars in funding. She was principal or co-investigator on more than 40 grants or contracts and had more than 130 peer-reviewed publications. Her research drove significant advances in the understanding of children living in poverty, and how to help them. She developed the Family Map, a nationally recognized tool to identify the needs of families with children. She was co-developer of Together We Inspire Smart Eating (WISE), an obesity prevention program for preschool children. She helped find ways to reduce everything from childhood injuries to adult HIV. While in a highly competitive field, Leanne was notably generous with her time, being what one colleague referred to as "a people collector." She helped to change lives and further careers, mentoring more than 20 individuals across UAMS. Her personal life was no less compassionate. Leanne improved people's lives just by being their friend, caring about them, loving them. If you struggled, came from the wrong neighborhood, or lacked the sophistication of the elite, you had a home in her heart. A major event every Christmas was when Leanne organized the purchase and delivery of hundreds of holiday gifts for children in Head Start classrooms throughout Little Rock. Leanne combined her innate curiosity about people with her favorite pastime, traveling. With her loving husband Tony at her side, she traveled the world, visiting over 20 different countries. She cruised the Caribbean, up to Alaska, and through the Norwegian fjords. She walked on the Great Wall of China, put her feet in the hot streams of Iceland, and felt the winds of Aruba. Their beloved daughter, Meredith, their shining gem, often accompanied them, becoming a frequent flyer before she learned to walk. No summary of this remarkable woman's life can be complete without mentioning her unparalleled sense of humor and quick wit. You never got the last jab. If you were not amused by Leanne, you just weren't paying attention. For all who loved her, our time with her was never enough. Arrangements are by Arkansas Crematory. Visit www.arkansascrematory.com for an online obituary and guestbook.