Leanne Marie Shank of New Hope, Pa., died peacefully at home on Dec. 7, 2025, surrounded by her family. 

Born on May 18, 1956, in Seattle, Wash., she was the second of four children born to John Francis Shank and Marilyn McRae Shank.

Leanne’s father worked for a large pulp and paper company and the family moved from Seattle to paper mill towns in Camas, Wash.; Campbell River, British Columbia; Ocean Falls, British Columbia; Lancaster, Ohio; and Carthage, N.Y., where she graduated from high school. 

She received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Oswego, where she swam competitively and made many cherished and lifelong friends. After taking a brief stint as a travel agent, Leanne attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received her law degree. 

After three years working in corporate law in Washington D.C., eventually Leanne settled in Lexington where she planted her roots and raised her family. She began by working for a private practice, then served as the RockbridgeCounty attorney. She went on to serve as the general counsel at Washington and Lee University for over 22 years. 

Leanne was passionate about giving back and serving her community. She was the past president of the United Way of Lexington and Rockbridge County, the past president and treasurer of the board of directors for Yellow Brick Road Early Development Education Center, the past President of Rockbridge County Health Center, past chair and treasurer of the board of directors National Association of College and University Attorneys and chair of the National Association of College and University Attorneys.

Leanne moved to New Hope in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the river town. You could often find her walking her beloved Bernedoodles, Sophie and Murphie, enjoying drinks with friends at The Dubliner, or relaxing by the river. 

After moving to New Hope, she joined the Law School Admission Council as senior vice president of Legal and Corporate Affairs. Over seven years, she built a legal team she was immensely proud of and found deep satisfaction in mentoring younger colleagues. During that time, she became a trusted voice on the executive team and guided the organization through significant change with strong leadership, grace and tenacity. She often said her time at LSAC was the most fulfilling of her career.

Her professional accomplishments notwithstanding, Leanne will be remembered for her warmth, wonderful sense of humor and athleticism. She was a loyal friend and a perfect mother. She loved nothing more than traveling the world with her family, a passion stoked by a yearning for lifelong learning and a deep interest in art, food, history and diverse cultures. She was most happy swimming or floating – you could always find her in a body of water. 

Leanne was predeceased by her father and mother. She is survived by her beloved husband of 24 years, Don Scott Baker of New Hope, Pa. She was a devoted mother to her three children, Marilyn Jordan Wagner (Jan-Samuel) and their children of Yardley, Pa., Patrick Jordan (Karli) of Cockeysville, Md., and Sidney Baker Stearns (Michael) of Lexington. She is also survived by her siblings, John Shank (Andrea) of McLean, Steven Shank (Dawn) of Santa Clarita, Calif., and Christine Shank of Charlottesville. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, and her two soon-to-be grandchildren.

A Mass will be held Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. at St. John the EvangelistChurch, 44 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ under the direction of the Garefino Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held afterward at The Logan Inn, 10 W Ferry Street, New Hope, PA.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fisherman’s Mark Food Pantry, 60 Wilson Street, Lambertville, NJ or the charity of the donor’s choice.

The funeral will be live streamed and can be accessed by clicking on this link 15 minutes prior to the service time.

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