'Magic room' at Pensacola Ronald McDonald House honors memory of beloved McDonald's worker
If there was any word used to describe Octavia Leavigne, it would be faithful.
Faithful to God, faithful to her family, faithful to the positions she held with the Johnstone McDonald’s franchise for the past 17 years.
The Kentucky native started as an overnight manager in the Callaway McDonald's location and climbed the ladder until she became a general manager, most recently at the Thomas Drive location in Panama City Beach. Local franchise owner Tracy Johnstone described Leavigne as young, bright-eyed and eager to please when they first met at the Callaway McDonald's, adding that Leavigne had gone on to become a devoted member of the family.
“She ruled her restaurants with a velvet hammer, yet she was soft and respectful to people,” Johnstone said. “By the same token, she demanded excellence. And that was the core of who she was, professionally and personally, she lived her life that way.”
Building up numerous Johnstone McDonald's locations and producing immense success would set the tone for the rest of Leavigne’s career until the unthinkable happened Oct. 16 when Leavigne passed away from complications from COVID-19. She was just 47, and unvaccinated.
Now the Johnstone family is working to honor Leavigne's memory by fundraising to open a special room in her name at the Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola to help children in need.
Her death came as a shock to everyone because Leavigne had just gone home early one afternoon after not feeling well. She never came back in. The Johnstones and all their employees were devastated, with Johnstone saying she has been trying to make sense of it.
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“I know you said that God called her back home and needed her more than us, but boy, I’d like to argue with him on that,” Johnstone said. “I’d like to say, ‘Sorry, but we’re not done with her yet, we love her too much.’ But on the other hand, I know where she is because if there was ever a woman of faith, it was her.”
Johnstone Food Corporation Inc. has been in business in Bay County since 1965, with McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc signing their papers. Their mission has been to give an authentic experience to all their customers with their eight locations and Leavigne set the standard higher than most, leaving a mark on everyone who encountered her.
“She, by no means, thought she knew it all, could do it all and could be it all. She was that kind of humble that she wanted feedback and she wanted encouragement,” Johnstone said.
Twin brother Tony McCombs said Leavigne definitely left her mark on the family and she was unlike any other sibling, especially as a twin.
“Any time we were together, it was a special moment,” McCombs said. “It was always a gift and it means so much. As a twin, you would get this feeling about the other one and sometimes I’d get the sense that ‘Oh she’s going through something,’ or vice versa. So, that was something always unique about us.”
Her faith was one of only a few things that could compete with her love for her work. Many said there was nothing Leavigne would do before first praying on it.
“God meant everything to her,” McCombs said. “Our family was just built on that, we have so many people in the ministry and stuff. She was just a wonderful blessing to have.”
The Ronald McDonald House
After Leavigne's sudden passing, Johnstone alerted Summer Jimmerson, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida in Pensacola. Ronald McDonald House provides resources and accommodations to alleviate the emotional, financial and physical burdens faced by families with sick or injured children.
“We let Summer and the team over there know that she passed away and, of course, they were just beyond themselves because she just became such a part of that organization as well,” Johnstone said.
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The connection started years before, when Leavigne took a trip to the Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola, where she met a great Dane that was a therapy dog for the children and families. Despite not being a fan of dogs (not even of Johnstone’s two dogs, Taboo and Trip), Johnstone said Leavigne came back from the trip and pitched the idea to her to sponsor a full-time therapy dog at the house.
“That is just how thoughtful she was. That's how much she thought outside of her own comfort zone to do what needed to be done for someone else to go down a road that might be uncomfortable for her,” Johnstone said. “But it brought joy to something she loved and the mission of the Ronald House.”
The puppy ended up being a brown Labrador retriever and customers voted on the name “Sundae,” after the name of the dog in the children's book about McDonald's. Leavigne led the project the entire time and even drove to get the puppy from the breeder to deliver to the Ronald McDonald House.
“They call it the Johnstones' dog, but we all know the truth,” Johnstone said. “It’s really Octavia’s dog.”
A few days after the directors of the Ronald McDonald House found out about Leavigne’s passing, they contacted Johnstone with news that would change everything and continue Leavigne's legacy.
“A few days later, Summer messaged us and said, ‘Well, what do you think if we did Octavia's Magical Room and dedicated a room to her,’” Johnstone said. “We said, ‘That would be amazing. There would be nothing that would honor her more.’”
The Johnstones got to work on fundraising and committed $150,000 to establish a room in Leavigne's memory. The room will be filled with toys that the kids can play with and incorporate Leavigne's love for Disney with the decorations, as well as have a picture of her hung up to tell her story.
“We just want it to be super special,” Johnstone said. “We don't want it to just be a room and the plaque. We want it to have almost like storybook illustrations on the wall. We want it to really represent everything she was.”
McCombs said his sister hardly ever tried to take credit or acknowledgment for her work over the years, so having this physical reminder of everything she accomplished felt good.
“It was special because she always had good aspirations, good dreams,” McCombs said. “We had always wanted her to be on a platform and to be noticed for all her hard work, so finally she’s getting known for everything that she’s done. It feels great.”
Celebrating a successful life
The Johnstones also held a celebration for her life on Nov. 14, attended by Leavigne’s family and friends. Loved ones spoke on her behalf about the person she was and how she affected their lives, making sure to let everyone know Leavigne would have been there straightening the food tables and laughing about how she always must have everything just right.
Toward the end of the celebration, Leavigne’s family members were presented with the rare Ray Kroc Award, which is given to the top 1% of managers in the country. The Johnstones had sent in her qualifications earlier in the year and after her passing, McDonald’s field office called saying she had won.
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“It's such an honor, but it also kills me that she wasn't here to enjoy that,” Johnstone said. “’Cause that would have meant so much to her, not the recognition, but being recognized for her effort. Hopefully, she saw some of that today.”
As they continue to raise money for Octavia’s Magic Room and move forward physically without their star employee, Johnstone said she wants everyone to hold Leavigne in their hearts and to learn from her work ethic.
“Work your Octavia magic and approach things where you’re always about approaching people and making things better for them,” Johnstone said.
Going forward, Johnstone said she knows Leavigne is always here with them. She said she remains faithful about it.
To donate to “Octavia’s Magic Room,” visit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida’s website at rmhc-nwfl.org/octavia and donate directly to their fundraiser.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Pensacola Ronald McDonald House room honors worker who died of COVID
