Anti-gay church to picket memorial for Seattle shooting victim

A fringe anti-gay church group has announced plans to
protest the funeral of the Bellevue mother killed during
last week’s Seattle shooting spree. But friends and
family are rallying to counter it.

Gloria Leonidas was shot and killed when Ian Stawicki
attacked her and stole her car as he fled police following
the shooting of four people at Cafe Racer in North Seattle
Wednesday morning.

The rogue Westboro Baptist Church, known for picketing
funerals with hostile anti-gay signs and messages, has
posted on its website plans to picket Leonidas’ service in
protest of Washington’s passage of a measure legalizing
same sex marriage.

A friend of the victim called 97.3 KIRO FM’s Ron and
Don Show to help mount a counter attack.

“I don’t think this has anything to do with their message.
I think it’s awful. She’s got two girls that are 12 and
16 that are going to be there – and family friends. There’s
no reason for them to be there,” said the tearful woman
who asked to remain anonymous.

“These people are in mourning. This woman was a good
woman. Someone took her life. Why are they protesting
her?”

A new Facebook group has been started to shield family and
friends of Gloria Leonidas at the funeral scheduled for
Thursday at St. Demetrios Church in Seattle.

“I didn’t know any of the victims of last week’s shooting
at Racer Cafe, but that doesn’t matter when something like
this is happening,” wrote Hilary Dehey Turnberg, creator
of the Facebook group.

Commenters on the page say they will hold up sheets to
shield family and friends at the service.

“She was so full of life and she was funny and she loved
everybody she had so much love for her family and her
girls and her husband and the Greek community. I mean
she touched people all over the country. I don’t want her
girls to see this. I don’t want her girls to have to
experience that church,” her friend said.

A memorial fund has been established to help pay for the
education of Gloria’s daughters as well as to provide for
medical expenses for one of her daughters that are not
covered by health insurance.

Contributions can be sent to:

Gloria Leonidas Children’s Fund
c/o George Treperinas
Karr Tuttle Campbell
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 2900
Seattle, WA 98101