Wayne and Julie Rigby, of Seaford, are saddened to announce the death of their daughter-in-law, Dr. Andrea Lynn Leistra of Silver Spring, Md., on April 18, 2025, surrounded by her family.
Andrea grew up in Sioux Falls, SD. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Sanford and a doctorate in astronomy from the University of Arizona. After graduation, she worked for Yahoo! in Burbank, CA, and later Warner Brothers/Discovery in Silver Spring. She was a pioneer, working as a data scientist before that job title even existed.
Andrea was an avid birder and reader, a great cook, and a fan of the U. S. National and Washington Spirit soccer teams. In May of 2022, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. She was fortunate to have world-class medical care through the Johns Hopkins hospital system. Andrea fought cancer incredibly hard, with radiation, many kinds of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and two clinical trials Throughout her fight, she lived life to the fullest.
Andrea is survived by her spouse of 16 years, Dr. Jane Rigby, formerly of Seaford; her son Ayden Rigby-Leistra; her parents Roger and Cleone Leistra of Sioux Falls, SD; her brother Paul Leistra, and his wife, Melissa, of Silver Spring, Md.; and her brother, Dan Leistra-Jones, and his wife, Karen, of Lancaster, Pa.
The Leistra and Rigby families thank those whose kind words and prayers during this long, difficult time have meant so much. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Friends of Sligo Creek, the Nature Conservancy, or, in honor of her lifelong love of reading, to your favorite library.