Thomas Leech

Thomas B. Leech

COSHOCTON: Thomas B. Leech, 96, died on June 20, 2014 at the Wexner Medical Center at the Ohio State University in Columbus.

He was born in Coshocton on May 31, 1918, the son of Judge Lloyd S. Leech and May Bouvier Leech, both deceased. In his early years he was very active with the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Coshocton High School in 1936, Miami University in Oxford in 1940, and Harvard University Law School in Cambridge, MA in 1943.

From April 1943 to December 1945, he served on active duty during World War II in the United States Navy with 18 months aboard an aircraft carrier in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. After the war Mr. Leech remained in the active Naval and Coast Guard Reserves and retired as a commander in 1974.

He practiced law from February 1946, as a sole practitioner, until 1969 when he joined the law firm of Freeman, Leech & Freeman. This practice ultimately became the presently known Leech, Scherbel, Peddicord, & Given, Ltd. Mr. Leech retired from the firm in October 2004. He was active in his profession until he fully retired in December 2010, after 65 years of practicing law.

While he loved gardening, music was his principal hobby, having played clarinet in the old Boy Scout Band and Coshocton Symphony Orchestra in the 1920's & 1930's. He was active in the marching band, symphony orchestra and men's glee club at Miami University, and was a charter member of the present day Coshocton County Community Band, which began in October 1965 as a successor to the Boy Scout Band. He was a long-time member of the Walhonding Rube Band. Mr. Leech was baptized in the Presbyterian Church in Coshocton, became a member in 1930 and has been very active in the church, having served as a member of all its boards and some committees. He experienced much personal satisfaction in having first started as a member of his church's Chancel Choir in 1936 and remained so for more than seventy-eight years. He was very active in his community, having been City Solicitor and Mayor of the City of Coshocton, was a charter member of the Coshocton Jaycees, served on many local boards and committees and was a recipient of The Coshoctonian Award in 2007. Mr. Leech also derived much personal satisfaction from having been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Coshocton Public Library for more than twenty-five years and the Coshocton County Community Band for more than forty-five years.

Mr. Leech is survived by two daughters, Penny C. (Tom) Zoller of Bellbrook, Pamela L. (Errol) Kahoun of Columbus; a son, Thomas R. (Katie) Leech of Salt Lake City, UT; nine grandchildren, Christopher T. (Marsha) Zoller, Mary Elizabeth (Reggie) Collins, Craig E. (Jenny) Kahoun, Cory T. (Kathi) Kahoun, Eric W. Guard, Ricardo Anaya, Nicolas Anaya, Christopher Anaya, and Ian Anaya, 11 great-grandchildren; two nephews, James L. Leech and Davis N. (Susan) Leech; and a niece, Diane M. Seabrook.

In addition to his parents, he was recently preceded in death by his wife of 38 years, Merle Shannon Leech; also a son, Stephen Leech; a daughter, Deborah Shannon Anaya; a brother, David L. Leech; and his first wife, Claire R. Leech, are deceased.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 12, 2014 at The Presbyterian Church in Coshocton with Rev. Jonathan Carlisle officiating. Visiting with the family will take place one hour before the service. A luncheon will be served by the Presbyterian Women for those who attend the service immediately following. A private family burial will take place at South Lawn Cemetery.

The Fischer Funeral Home in Warsaw is handling arrangements. www.fischerfuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make donations in Mr. Leech's memory may do so to The Presbyterian Church, 142 N. 4th St. Coshocton, OH 43812; the Coshocton Public Library, 655 Main St. Coshocton, OH 43812; or to the Coshocton Community Band, P.O. Box 128 Coshocton, OH 43812.