Former late-night CTV Ottawa anchor Leigh Chapple dies

CTV Ottawa's former late-night news anchor, Leigh Chapple, was found dead in her home Tuesday morning.

In an email to staff Tuesday, CTVOttawa station manager Richard Gray said Chapple, 58,made many friends at the station during her 36 years there.

"Friend to so many in the building, Leigh was part of the CTV Ottawa/CJOH TV family for 36 years starting out as personal assistant to Max Keeping before moving on-air first as a reporter then later becoming an anchor," Gray wrote.

"Leigh retired May 4, 2012, to spend more time with her husband, another former colleague, Dean Holmes."

Chapples cause of death is not yet known.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to Dean, Leighs family and the many colleagues here who knew her so well," Gray wrote. "She will be deeply missed."

Mentor to young reporters

Keeping said part of Chapple's legacy will be the number of young reporters she helped mentor, whether at CTV or as an instructor at Algonquin College.

He said viewers were left with a sense of the kindness she showed on-camera and off.

"A couple of weeks ago she showed up at one of my former colleagues' house with a gift for her son's twenty-first birthday," he said.

"She said 'I just remember you talking about him all the time we worked together, and remembered this was his twenty-first birthday so I'm dropping off a gift.'That's how thoughtful she was."

Keeping said Chapplehad recently managed to find a retirement home for both of her parents and was looking forward to spending more time with her husband.