Chelsey Beatrice LeBlanc
September 19, 1987 ~ April 6, 2019
A Celebration of Life for
Chelsey Beatrice “Feenix” LeBlanc
Chelsey B. “Feenix” LeBlanc was born on September 19, 1987 in Port Arthur, Texas and transitioned across the Universe as she slept on April 6, 2019 in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. She was welcomed into her family as the first grandchild, and immediately charmed everyone around her with her sparkling smile, easy-going manner and colorful personality. She was adored and passed around like a real-life baby doll by a legion of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents alike. In a sign of things to come, Chelsey’s first steps were taken in a full glittery disco wig.
As Chelsey entered her childhood years, she developed a love of singing, ballet, tap dancing, tea parties with her Grandma, creating stories, fishing with her Pop, writing poetry and learning. When she was 11, Chelsey welcomed her baby sister Annie into the family. As they grew older, Chelsey and Annie could be found spending time together at the lake, trading witty barbs, and generally driving each other crazy and protecting each other fiercely as sisters are supposed to do.
Chelsey graduated from Lago Vista High School in 2006, as a member of the Honor Society and ranked fourth in her class. She had a brilliant mind to go along with her kind and creative heart. She excelled in written expression of all forms, and won the University of Texas Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition Scholarship for her essay on civil rights in her Junior Year. She attended the University of Texas at Austin where she worked as a lifeguard in her freshman year. She also graduated from Lauterstein Conway Academy of Massage in 2007 And spent some time enjoying a career in Massage Therapy. Upon her return to college, She won first place in the “Writes of Spring Academic Essay Competition” at Metro State University in 2015. She had a knack for language, could speak fluent Spanish, and even wrote her own song lyrics. At the time of her transition, Chelsey was studying Spanish and Human Performance with an emphasis on Dance at Metropolitan State University in Denver.
Chelsey had an admirable work ethic, and throughout college she worked at the family restaurant where she was known for her unique ability to connect with customers and remember every name and face. She was loved by her coworkers, who describe her as dependable, hard-working and fun. In her “spare time,” Chelsey would often volunteer her time as an ESL tutor, and supplement her income as a Private Spanish Tutor. She was a skilled Hula Hooper, and was especially proud of her side hustle “Wholesome Hula Hoops,” in which she was the owner, hoop craftress, and hoop dance instructor. Chelsey would sometimes leave hoops on park benches with a note “free to a happy heart.” In addition, Chelsey loved reading, had stellar taste in music, and was an avid movie fan.
Chelsey’s family and friends will tell you that she was loving, giving and kind. One of her favorite ways of giving back was driving around Austin, distributing drinking water and good tidings to the homeless population. She truly never met a stranger, and had a talent for connecting with people and making them feel accepted, connected and special. She was a thoughtful giver of gifts and massages, and could throw a spectacular Tea Party at a moment’s notice.
If you ever had the experience of meeting Chelsey, you would know that she had an overall flair for living life to the fullest, despite numerous health struggles that she tried her best to heal. She expressed herself with creative costumes, makeup, and even her everyday wardrobe showed the world that she embraced her creativity. She was involved with the Circus Arts community in both Austin and Denver, and developed a cadre of creative friends who loved performing. She and her friends would often perform at outdoor music festivals and parades, and she adopted the nickname “Feenix” with her amazing fire hoop skills.
Chelsey is survived by her mother Brandy LeBlanc Miller and her father John Miller, her sister Annie, her Grandmother Liz Moss, her Grandfather Cedric Fontenot and his partner Gail, her Grandpa Bruce Miller and her beloved boyfriend Kevin Murrant. Chelsey is preceded in death by her Grandmother Antoinette Anne Miller. She will be terribly missed by numerous Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends, and anyone who ever interacted with her kind, generous soul.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Chelsey at Bullock Morturary, located at 1375 East Hampden Avenue, (Englewood, Colorado 80113) at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 14th. A second Celebration of Life will be held in her hometown of Port Arthur, Texas at Rose Hill Manor, located at 100 Woodworth Boulevard (Port Arthur, Texas 77640) at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 20th.
Family and friends are encouraged to sign Chelsey's guest book and share memories and/or photos here on her page.
Chelsey lived her life from a place of authentic generosity and the best way to honor her memory is to live that example. If you feel called to participate, below are links to a few of her favorite causes:
Because chelsey liked giving water to the thirsty, this one is my favorite:
https://water.cc/brandyleblanc?fbclid=IwAR2CYfBDLK69xn9sjwVtBakGvrvSM6w6DLbjlR2jJ3vhXYqijrplTIf2IU8
Hands for the Children:
Douglas County Libraries -Highlands Ranch Library (she LOVED to read) https://dcl.org/support/
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Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Chelsey, May you always smile and look after your family you left behind. You are part of the universe and know all its secrets. May you rest in His arms and may your mom always feel your warmth. Anna Rose
so sorry for your loss, my prayers to all the family and all who loved Chelsey.
Several years ago when Chelsey lived in her apartment in Austin, she contacted me over social media and asked me to stop by: she had something she wanted to give me. Having faced a slew of struggles, I was on my way home to visit from Corpus Christi and I made the stop to her apartment. She was so radiant when I saw her. An old friend I hadn't seen in years. She invited me inside, showed me her hoops (gosh they were amazing hoops) and she asked how I was doing. I felt so down with everything that was going on in my life. She brought out her gift for me- and I immediately started to cry. Chelsey had there in her hands, a leather bible, used gently from her earlier years. She offered it to me, explaining how she had used this bible throughout many of her own struggles. I accepted the gift. I knew right then that this was a friend who would always see the good in people. She read deeper than what was on the surface. A sentimental gift from an old friend that brought so much meaning to my life. I will always remember you Chelsey and thank you for doing God's work and shining so brightly
I am truly sorry for your loss. Chelsea was a wonderful person and babysat my girls many years while she lived in Lago Vista. Wishing you comfort and peace as you go through this tragic loss.
In my prayers for all the Heavy Hearts to be lifted … my heart sunk when I saw this post almost a week after… I'm so sorry for your families loss… In my continued thoughts and prayers.
Gorgeous! Rest in peace for eternity.
Ugh…. Where do I start??….. I moved to Colorado around the end of summer in 2017. Being that I was actually born here, I still had some family living in the area that I was able to stay with temporarily, as I needed some time to get up on my feet and on my own. My life has been a constant battle since as far back as I can remember. It's been common for me to just feel sorry for myself and use my unfortunate childhood as my excuse to submerse myself in drugs and crime. I've battled drug addiction since I was about 12 years old. And it had taken me down some very dark roads paved with even more heartache, misery, shame, and guilt. I actually moved out here to truly try and make a complete true life change. I was about 3 months sober when I got here and I just felt completely out of place, alone, and judged. Whether that was the actually case or not, I still felt that way and was worried I'd just do the typical Nate scenario and ruin a great opportunity because I was scared…. Well the aunt and uncle I moved in with just so happened to live right next to Chelsea's mom and dad. Her mom Brandy by the way, is one of the absolute best, most genuine, caring, creative, outgoing, intersesting people I may have ever met as well. It's easy to see where Chelsea's got a lot of her shiny spirit. I rember vividly, the day I truly actually got to meet these wonderful women. I was just dying inside. I wanted to run away like I always did when I would start to feel again. I was bored and I just wanted so desperately to find something that I could look forward to. Because I knew it was only matter of time before Id give up again and this time surely die. I was smoking on the back porch and I noticed Brandy going back and forth from inside to outside her house, meeting a new person or couple everytime she came out. Well…. Coming from my background… It was impossible not to think of a drug dealer. Because every one of these people were dropping off cash money to her then typically leaving after a few casual words. Needless to say, now something has my attention. Just as I thought it, ole goofball Brandy comes walking back and explains how she felt just like I was thinking as well. But it turned out she was just collecting for some sort of park pass on the area. For some reason I just really really hoped that she would come over and sit with us. I did my best to entice her with smores and popcorn that my aunt had lying around and we were sitting next to a cozy little fire to make good use of these goodies. After Brandy's little deals with her customers were pretty much finished, she finally came over to get involved in some yums yums and a conversation that would turn out to be the day my whole life changed and opened my eyes for the cery first time…. Ever. While it was brandy and my aunt and i, we exchanged funny typical stories and useless chatter. But when my aunt decided to call it quits and head to bead, that was when the real conversation started. For some reason I just immediately poured myself out to brandy. My past, my terrible childood, my evil father and the giant kmpact he's had on my life, to my drug addiction and incarcerations…. And the close people I seemed to keep losing to that struggle, which made me feel so angry and guilty that they were gone and for some reason my worthless ass was still living. Not once did brandy make me feel like I was bad or that I was less than or not good enough, or that she was scared…. Instead she she was able to put things into a different perspective for me and she told me not to ever feel ashamed that I'm alive, bit to know that Im here because I have a specail purpose and I'm right were I need to be. I smiled. And right about then …. The person who trumps all when it comes to being memorable….. Miss Chelsea aka feenix lablonc. I couldn't see her but she was singing a tune to herself and brandy just smiled and said thats mine…. Lol….. She called Chelsea over and introduced us. I remember thinking ……. This girl is exactly how I feel like I'm supposed to be but my guilt and mistakes have made it so I am not allowed to be who I could have been. To be honest the overwhelming amount of thoughts and feelings that shot through me in the first 10 mins of meeting this girl are still enough that it makes me cry as Im writing this….. I spent my whole life wishing I would die…. And hating myself for not having the guys to just do it myself. Up until I met these special ladies. That is 100% the truth. It was pure unrestricted….. Love. Chelsea to me…. Has always represented purely that. Chelsea is and was ….. Love. I never got to experience it till she came into my life. I was a stranger and that same night she asked me to go with her to pick up her car from firebowl. I barely said any words that night once Chelsea arrived. And she didn't make me feel like I needed to say anything. She knew everything about me already . Somehow. She just let me sit back and enjoy the show. When we got to her car she hopped out and put her skills to work. …. She did what she always did best…… Made people smile. She didn't care what other people thought. Everything Chelsea did, she did it with intention. Period. Chelsea changed my life. She made me want to live for the first time in my life. Im now going on 3 years sober. Im working a job that happens to be what I only dreamed I would one day be doing. And it has just recently blossomed into a career. I've become highly respected in my field of work and I recently received a raise that I just never thought could even be possible for me. I owe it all to this girl…. This news was especially hard for me to swallow. And I want to apologize to her family for leaving her celebration so early. I wasn't able to handle it all right then. It was just to real and it ….. I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry for that. I really miss her now. And I never really got to thank her and let her know what she did for me. But I know she's with all of in some way. Farewell Chelsea. Shine on you crazy diamond…… Shine on……
Nate, I read your story today for the first time. Thank you so much for sharing, and thank you for being part of the celebration of life. You are an amazing young man, and as much as you feel Chelsey made a difference in your life, so did you to hers. Your gift of friendship to our daughter, and to us, is priceless.