Who is Leafie Purvis from Hattie Big Sky and what is their importance?

Leafie Purvis is one of the neighbors who was present when Uncle Chester died. She is a straightforward woman who speaks her mind, and to Hattie's surprise, even smokes tobacco. Leafie is Vida's area doctor. Though unlicensed to practice medicine, she is the closest thing to a doctor that the region has. She helps Hattie in many ways. One of the most important is the way in which Leafie knows her mind and leads by example.