Leslie Mann Nuñez, a beloved wife, mother, and dedicated community member, peacefully passed away on July 9, 2024, surrounded by her family and a lot of love. Her laugh and kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Leslie was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and grew up in Syracuse, NY, and Raleigh, NC. While attending high school, her best friend introduced her to Claudio Nuñez, her lifelong partner. They immediately hit it off. Leslie and Claudio shared a love of music, and each of them was a musician with incredible talent. They had been married for 55 years.
Leslie’s passion for music led her to study music therapy after high school, which was perfect with her piano-playing background. She paused her studies, and their young family of three moved to Bogota, Colombia, where Leslie gave birth to her second child. With a strong desire to finish school, Leslie earned her psychology and social work degrees from Western Carolina University and A-B Technical Community College at age 60.
Leslie was known for her kind heart, compassion, and dedication to helping others. She had a passion for working with individuals with disabilities, which led her to pursue a career in social work.
Throughout her career, Leslie worked as a mid-level manager with CP&L, a Disability Notetaker at Asheville-Buncombe Community College, an Associate Residential Counselor at Eliada Homes for Children, and a Disability Assistant at SSEACO. Her commitment to her work and the individuals she served was truly inspiring.
Outside of her professional life, Leslie was a devoted wife to her husband, Claudio Ivan Nuñez, and a loving mother to her children, Christopher Charles Nuñez and Dr. Sarah Cecilia Nuñez. She was also an active member of her community, volunteering her time to various organizations and causes.
Leslie’s memory will live on through the countless lives she enriched with her kindness and generosity. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Besides her children and husband, her loving family includes granddaughter Jocelyn Brooke Nuñez, brother Charles “Chuck” Mann, sister Diana Mann Griffin, brother-in-law Max G. Nuñez, sister-in-law Norma Cecilia Nuñez Martinez, and many nieces, nephews, great nieces & nephews, and special friends she cared for like her own children.
Leslie was well taken care of by medical professionals and caretakers in Louisville, Kentucky, and Asheville, North Carolina. The family extends a special thank you to the University of Louisville Physicians, Care Partners PACE, and Hospice Solace Center for their love and care of Leslie over the last five years of her life.
Her husband and children held a vigil and received friends and family for a week at the Solace Hospice Center, and the family thanks the entire community near and far who held them during this time of grief and celebration of love. Leslie’s celebration of life will be held at a private memorial on the family’s land on August 3, 2024.
The family is asking for flowers and cards to be sent to the family home in Asheville. Please contact the family for delivery instructions.
Leslie’s memory can be honored through donations to her daughter’s botanical sanctuary and healing project https://gofund.me/fde61897, as well as to Haywood Street Congregation https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E359147&id=3.
Asheville Mortuary Services are honored to serve the Nunez family.
See original obituary HERE.