Leon Motte Obituary – Menifee (1940-2026)

Leon Eugene Motte, lifelong farmer, community figure, and patriarch of the Motte family, one of the Perris Valley’s longtime pioneering families, passed away on August 24, 2026, at the age of 86.

Born on July 12, 1940, Leon was raised in the Nuevo and Perris Valley, where his family had already planted deep roots in agriculture. Farming was more than Leon’s occupation; it was a way of life and a source of tremendous pride. Alongside his father, John Victor Motte, and his brother, John D. Motte, Leon continued the family farming tradition through Motte and Sons, working land throughout the Perris Valley and surrounding communities.

In 1985, Leon built the large wooden barn along Highway 74 that became known to generations of local residents as the Romola Farms Barn. Constructed largely from salvaged materials, the Barn first served the community as a roadside produce stand. Years later, it would take on an entirely new life as the home of the Motte Historical Museum.

Leon was many things to many people. Some knew him as the familiar face who greeted them with a smile and a history lesson as he welcomed them into the Motte Museum Barn. To others, he was the Junior class president of Perris High School, a trombone player in the band, or a pilot performing barrel rolls over the town’s open fields. He was an avid traveler, a photographer, a mechanic, someone who still had the Press Enterprise delivered to him daily, and a man of countless interests and talents. But if you asked Leon what he was most proud to be, the answer was simple: a farmer.

And though he may not have spent the later years of his life working the fields, he never stopped cultivating. Instead, he devoted those years to cultivating the growth of the community he loved.

Of all that Leon nurtured throughout his lifetime, however, there was nothing he was more devoted to than his family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Leon leaves behind his beloved wife, Darlene; his children, Lisa Motte, Mark (Cathy) Motte, Aimee Brassi, Nick (Danette) Morrow, Pam (Randy) Grimm, Cheryl (Jack) Farmer, and Connie Yoder; as well as 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Leon belonged to a generation that understood the value of hard work, taking care of the land, preserving what came before, and sharing it with those who came next. His fingerprints remain throughout the valley he loved – in its farmland, its history, the Barn he built, and the Museum he helped carry forward.

A Funeral Mass honoring Leon will be held on September 18, 2026, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. at St. James the Less Catholic Church, 269 W. Third Street, Perris, CA 92570, followed by a Committal Service from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Perris Valley Cemetery, 915 N. Perris Blvd., Perris, CA 92571. Leon’s family, close friends, and those who knew him well are welcome to join in the Mass and graveside service.

A Celebration of Life will follow from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Motte Historical Museum, 28380 Highway 74, Menifee, CA 92585. Friends, neighbors, community members, and all those whose lives were touched by Leon are warmly invited to join his family in celebrating his life, sharing memories, and honoring his legacy.…Read more by Press Enterprise