Leslie A. Thomas, 43, a resident of Arnold for 13 years, died April 4 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a sudden illness.

Mrs. Thomas was born Dec. 20, 1962, in Rochester, N.Y., and reared in Wellsville, N.Y. She graduated from Bowie State College and was a string teacher and orchestra director at Thomas Pullen School for the Creative Arts in Prince George's County.

She loved music, reading, gardening and spending time with her family.

Surviving are her husband, Brian C. Thomas, whom she married Sept. 28, 1985; two daughters, Cassidy Thomas of Bethlehem, Pa., and Jamie Thomas of Arnold; her parents, Donald and Norma Newland of Wellsville; one brother, Guy Newland of Dayton, Ohio; and three sisters, Carrie Whitwood and Jan Newland of Wellsville and Andrea Hall of Olean, N.Y.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway, where services will be at 11 a.m. Monday. Burial is private.

Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Thomas Pullen Arts Boosters, 700 Brightseat Road, Landover, MD 20785.

As published in The Capital newspaper on 4/7/2006