Leah MacGrady

Mrs. Leah MacGrady is Lakewood Elementary School's lunch lady. She enjoys bingo and is friends with Grandma Thora. She is a wise, kind, and supportive friend to everyone, and a good cook, to boot.

Etymology
Her first name was Sara until season 13. In some books, her last name is spelled McGrady.

In Brain's Chess Mess she says her nickname in high school was Checkmate MacGrady. This indicates that MacGrady was her birth surname, not that of her husbands.

In Arthur Takes a Stand, John Lewis refers to her as Molasses MacGrady, which is probably some kind of nickname.

Personality
MacGrady is usually humble but cheerful as well as a nice lunch lady, a point where even the kids seem to really like and respect her, getting really worried and concerned about her when she got cancer. She also seems to be wise and supportive as the kids would even come to her for advice on multiple occasions.

Biography
During the episode "Draw!" Mrs. MacGrady listens to Francine and how her feelings are hurt. In order to let the other classmates know how she feels, she sets up a plan at the school carnival. She tells the others that when she gives them the cue they need to pull a rope, which will dump gloop on Francine. In the end the students don't follow through with their plan, as they realize that Francine is really hurt inside. Mrs. MacGrady had really set up balloons to fall on her instead.

In the episode "The Great MacGrady," she has cancer and loses her hair from the chemotherapy. By "Prunella and the Haunted Locker," also a season 13 episode, her hair has grown back. Her replacement in "The Great MacGrady" is her nephew, Skip Bitterman. When she returns in that episode, Skip calls her Aunt Leah, instead of Sara. This continues on throughout the series. "Leah" could be referencing one of the writers of the episode, Leah Ryan, which the episode was dedicated to. Also revealed in "The Great MacGrady," Mrs. MacGrady has a sister, Martha, who stayed with her after she was diagnosed with cancer.

In Arthur, It's Only Rock and Roll, she is the keyboardist for U Stink.

In the episode "Arthur Accused!" it is revealed that her first husband's name is Chester.

Friends
Leah MacGrady could be considered a friend to everyone in the series. She is kind and listens to everyone and helps them with their problems.

Grandma Thora: Leah MacGrady and Grandma Thora are alike in personality. They are rarely the antagonist of a dream or imagination, unlike Paige Turner. MacGrady wasn't afraid to criticize Grandma Thora's cooking. The two are seen together in many occasions.

As a background character, she is often seen with Ms. Sweetwater and Ms. Tingley.

Character development
Mrs. MacGrady's visual design is possibly based on a Chickin Lickin' employee from the 1994 book Arthur's Chicken Pox.

Trivia

 * In "Brain's Chess Mess," it is mentioned that, when Leah MacGrady was in high school, she was known as Checkmate MacGrady.
 * In the episode "Arthur Takes a Stand," it is mentioned that Leah MacGrady participated in the March On Washington in 1963.
 * Mrs. MacGrady's first name is Leah, but in Seasons 1-12, her first name is Sarah. She may have changed her name.

Appearances

 * Specials
 * Arthur - It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
 * Season 1
 * Arthur and the Real Mr. Ratburn (Cameo and debut) 10201
 * Arthur Accused! (First speaking role) 10602
 * Buster Makes the Grade (Cameo) 10702
 * Arthur Writes a Story (Cameo) 11201
 * Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest (Cameo) 11601
 * Arthur, World's Greatest Gleeper 11702
 * The Half-Baked Sale 12002
 * D.W.'s Snow Mystery (Flashback) 12201
 * Bully for Binky (Cameo) 12301
 * My Club Rules 12901
 * Season 2
 * Draw! 20102
 * Arthur's Lucky Pencil 20202
 * Arthur's Underwear 20501
 * Arthur and the Square Dance 21202
 * Arthur the Unfunny (Cameo) 21302
 * Grandma Thora Appreciation Day 21501
 * Love Notes for Muffy (Cameo) 21601
 * D.W. Blows the Whistle (Cameo) 21602
 * Season 3
 * The Chips are Down (Cameo) 30501
 * Revenge of the Chip (Cameo) 30502
 * Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival 31102
 * Season 4
 * Binky Barnes, Wingman (Picture) 40701
 * My Music Rules 41001
 * Season 5
 * Kids are from Earth, Parents are from Pluto (Cameo) 50201
 * Francine Goes to War (Cameo) 50602
 * Season 6
 * Citizen Frensky (Cameo) 60601
 * Arthur Loses His Marbles (Cameo) 61001
 * Season 7
 * Muffy Goes Metropolitan (Cameo) 70202
 * Buster's Amish Mismatch 70702
 * April 9th (Cameo) 71000
 * Season 8
 * Vomitrocious (Cameo) 80501
 * Big Horns George 81001
 * Season 9
 * Binky Goes Nuts 91001
 * Season 10
 * Buster's Special Delivery 101002
 * Season 11
 * Dancing Fools (Cameo) 110602
 * Season 12
 * Room to Ride 120201
 * The Frensky Family Fiasco 120202
 * The Blackout (Cameo) 120801
 * Season 13
 * The Great MacGrady 130100
 * The Silent Treatment 130201
 * A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Tibble 130701
 * Fernlets by Fern 130801
 * Prunella and the Haunted Locker 130802
 * The Pride of Lakewood 130902
 * Season 14
 * Follow the Bouncing Ball (Cameo) 140601
 * Muffy and the Big Bad Blog (Cameo) 140702
 * Arthur Unravels 140801
 * All the Rage (Cameo) 140802
 * D.W., Queen of the Comeback 140901
 * Season 15
 * Fifteen (Cameo) 150100
 * To Eat or Not to Eat 150501
 * S.W.E.A.T. 150502
 * Season 16
 * The Last Tough Customer 160601
 * Brain's Chess Mess 160602
 * Sue Ellen Vegges Out 160902
 * Season 17
 * Buster Bombs 170302
 * Season 21
 * Arthur Takes a Stand 210402