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John Leetch Obituary
In addition to his wife John leaves behind his children, Amanda , Marie, William and Zaydra, and those he loved as if they were his own William Lynch, Julia Ray and her children Prescott and Lisette.
John is also survived by his sisters, Carolyn Heinz and Nora Leetch, his brother-in laws Maurice Covino and his wife Linda, George Covino and his husband Will Ashmore and Alfred Covino and his wife Margie. John was loved by many including his late father and mother-in-law George and Marie Covino, his many nieces and nephews, his Canadian cousins, Anne's extended family and many dear friends.
A longtime member and Past Exalted Ruler of the Medford/Malden Elks Lodge #915, and the Elks riders, John was dedicated to the principals of service and commitment to the community.
John valued love, family and friendship. He worked hard, he played hard and he will be missed.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Tommy Heinz
July 3, 2025
I cared deeply for my uncle John. There are no words I can write or speak that will properly describe my heart break for family and friends too many to name .
Not all tears are evil. Mine are from being proud to have known him, to forever love him and to call him my uncle and friend .My only wish was I had more time with him at least my last words to him were that I loved him. And I´m glad he knew that. Rest in peace and love. Even if I don´t say it, you are always on my mind .
Fred and Margie Covino
June 24, 2025
John was a brother and a friend. We had so many fun adventures with him and Anne over the years. He was a family guy who put Anne and the kids first always. He was what we call in our family an easy hang no matter the event, or just hanging in the yard having a few buds. He always maintained a calm demeanor and felt he was the luckiest guy on the planet.
We miss him so much
Love Fred and Margie
Stephen Arnold
June 15, 2025
Dear Family and friends.
We gather here today with heavy hearts, to remember our dear friend John Leetch. Anne had asked me if I would say a few words at John´s memorial service. She said no pressure. How do you say no to this beautiful lady. I am honored to stand before you all today, to tell our story.
Jen and I met John and Anne at our first Deep Creek Civic Association happy hour. We also met Katie and Mike Widstrom at our table that evening. Mike and I were at one end getting to know each other while Jen, Katie, Anne and John were talking at the other end of the table. At one point I heard Jen say, "Steve is from Massachusetts." They were from Medford, pronounced, mefa, I, from Cohasset. Then, I heard Jen say, "Steve has a Harley." That perked my attention. John and I looked at one another, both proud Electraglide owners. And then again, I heard Jen say, "Steve´s a Past Exalted ruler, too." I again looked at John and he said Anne is a PER as well, in fact the year before me. Holy cow. Massachusetts, Harleys and the Elks. An immediate friendship began that night. Little did we know that it would become much more than a mere friendship. We soon became family.
A short time later, I met their daughter Marie, my new BFF, my girlfriend. Soon Jen and I were introduced to their extended family here in Florida. Anne´s friend Jeanne, a retired border patrol agent, which of course we bonded immediately, my sister in blue. Her daughter Julia, her husband Donnie, and her wonderful and talented children Prescott and Lizette, who John loved as his own grandchildren. We also were invited to meet their children, Amanda, Billy and Zaidra, as well as most of their visiting guests, including her best friend Carol and her husband Steve.
Since meeting the family, we began spending holidays and life events together. Often eating, drinking and listening to the kids sing karaoke tunes on the lanai. And let´s not forget the games nights! At the end of nearly every gathering, we played games. Oh, the laughter we shared.
Through our passion for the Elks, we met Elizabeth and Dennis Sieracki and Brenda and Bill Gallagher, forming our group fondly known as the Squad. It seemed that the 8 of us were inseparable during that first year spending several months at the PG Elks, in torrential downpours, the extreme Florida heat and cold waiting for our Queen of Hearts number to be called. Sadly, it never was meant to be, but boy did we have a great time together.
Dennis and Elizabeth have graciously shared many an excursion on their boat where we have enjoyed wonderful food, drinks, music and most importantly, great camaraderie. Did I mention a few too many adult beverages. Well, It was on one of these voyages, where John spotted some dolphins jumping in and out of the water not too far from the boat. Soon, we saw John a significant distance away from us wading out, chasing after them. After what seemed like an eternity, and a lot of laughter and shouts to him, we finally convinced him to come back to the boat, where he was then forever known to us as the dolphin whisperer.
John, Dennis, Billy and I, have enjoyed our fishing trips out to the harbor, where we usually ended up at Laishley´s to commiserate our lack of ability to catch nothing more than a cold.
John and I shared a passion for riding. Sadly, we weren´t able to ride as much as we would have liked, but both felt the rumble of freedom beneath us on our bikes, the open road stretching out without a care in the world. And in a way, John was that open road - full of adventure, twists and turns, surprises, but always leading to an interesting destination.
Our shared passion of the Elks organization also became a bond between us. John and Anne were both Exalted Rulers in Medford, as was I in Portsmouth. We believed in Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love, and Fidelity, the motto of the Elks. We all knew the value of community, of service, newfound friendships, and of looking out for your fellow man. We also had a love for the sacred 11 O´clock toast, remembering our departed members. John, it is the hour of recollection!
John and I were also both union guys. He believed in the dignity of work, the strength of solidarity, and the power of a hard-earned paycheck. We came from that same world. However, he hated to part with that hard earned paycheck, which he would remind me, when he told me of the pool heater or irrigation system or struts on his treasured Cadillac, that he would tackle on his own.
Now, John and I were never going to agree on everything. In fact, we disagreed on some pretty big things. Such as I liking Miller Lite and he a Bud Heavy guy! He had his opinions, and I had mine. And let's just say our political views were...distinct. But that was John. He was his own man, with his own convictions, and he wasn't afraid to let you know where he stood. And I respected that. But those differences, they never got in the way of what truly mattered: our friendship. We found common ground where it counted. We found it on the open road, the wind in our faces, the roar of our engines drowning out all the noise. We found it in family, at the karaoke mic, belting out tunes - sometimes on key, most times not - with a whiskey or beer in hand and a smile on our faces. And we found it in the simple act of being there for each other, through thick and thin.
John had a way of making you laugh. He had a story for every occasion, a quick wit, and a heart that, despite his fake gruff exterior, was truly a very kind and generous man. He loved his family unconditionally. He was a character, that's for sure. He could be loud, then soft spoken, he was opinionated, he was fiercely loyal, and he was deeply loved, and loved deeply. He was a fighter. He fought a long, hard, brave battle. He faced it head on, without fear or complaint. But like he told me, "it is what it is, Steve, we just can´t win them all."
During John´s fight, his beloved wife Anne stood at his side through the good days and the bad. His daughters Marie and Amanda pitching in to be with their Dad and Mom and help where and whenever needed. But it was Anne, the love of his life, that was his fiercest advocate. They had a love for each other that was unmatched. He doted on Anne, the beat of his heart, and Marie, the twinkle in his eye! They enjoyed being together every day. In fact, we had heard about their chance meeting when teenagers, on more than one occasion, where Anne was managing a MacDonald´s, and John swaggered in to apply for a job. Anne will tell you she was smitten, love at first sight, she hired him and, as the story goes, the rest is history. They were fun. Loved to laugh, play games and entertain us all at a drop of a hat.
I had gone to visit John at the hospital a week or so before he passed. After I left I had texted Anne to schedule another visit. I told her that she was his rock, and he knew it, and that she was a Rock Star for her unwavering dedication to the love of her life.
We'll miss his laughter. We'll miss his stubbornness. We'll miss his friendship. We'll miss the way he could clear a lanai with a karaoke rendition of who knows what. But most of all, we'll miss the man himself. His indelible smile will forever be etched in our minds.
So, raise a glass - or rev your engines - for John Leetch. May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, my dear friend. And may we all find a little bit of John's spirit in ourselves, to live life with a little more passion, a little more courage, a lot more love and laughter, and a little more damn good karaoke. Rest easy my Brother.
To John.
Samantha Heinz-Corcoran
June 9, 2025
Uncle John was someone you could always count on. He was always there to help when needed. He was always the life of the party. You could hear his laugh from the other room. He will be very missed.
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George Covino
June 9, 2025
My brother from another mother. John was the most content person I know and he was never happier than when surrounded by his family and friends. He embraced my parents (And grandparents!) as his own and I am forever grateful for all he did to support them over the years. Anne was the love of his life and their 50 years together was a true partnership. May his memory be a blessing.
George Covino
June 9, 2025
My brother from another mother. John was one of the most content people I know. He was never happier than when he was home surrounded by his family and friends. He happily embraced my parents (and grandparents!) as his own and I am forever grateful for all he did for them. Anne was the love of his life and their 50 years together was a true partnership. He really did live to make her happy. May his memory be a blessing.
Randy Gould
June 8, 2025
To John's family, I worked with John for several years at BET. I am so sorry for your loss. Even though I only knew him for a short time while we worked together, he was one of those standup guys who made no bones about what he thought or did. He had your back no matter what and he had mine a couple of times. John became a good friend, and we stayed in touch after we both had retired from the railroad and would laugh till we were almost in tears from our adventures at BET. I will miss him, as I'm sure all you will, but that cagey smile and twinkle in in his eye will always be there to remember him by. God bless Anne and the whole Leetch Family.
Sieracki Family
June 8, 2025
John will surely be missed by your Florida Family. Lots of Laughs and Joy of Friendship was shared in all our outings together. We will keep a chair at the table for him, I'm sure he's sitting in the room with us having a Bud and cracking a joke. All our Love, Dennis and Elizabeth Sieracki
Elena Mutter
June 4, 2025
Anne, have so many memories of this giant of man. So many laughs as we grew our families together. Two of my favorite memories were, when Jim and I and the kids moved to our house in Wilmington and instead of 4th of July at your house, we had you over here. By the end of day as we sat outside John said, while slapping at about a million mosquitos, "No offense Elena, but next year, it's back at our house" My next favorite memory is from after Christmas. How we would get together and as we all sat around the table amongst all the leftover sweets from the month long indulgences, John sat back in his chair with a sigh and declared, "I need an apple." That quick wit delivered with that signature smile and twinkle in his eye is certainly among the things for which he will be lovingly remembered. And for me, not the least is how he treated and treasured my dearest friend. Love you all and am praying for you. ~Elena
Cathleen Cormier
May 25, 2025
He will be missed
Julia Ray Clute
May 24, 2025
The love and kindness that john genuinely conveyed to those that he considered family was second to none, and has truly left a mark on each of our hearts. Though it feels like he was taken from us too soon, we are so grateful for having the privilege of being part of 'the Florida Years' chapter of your life together and gave so many great memories to cherish. He will be sorely missed but dearly remembered. Love you guys!
Sharen
May 24, 2025
John was an all around good guy. We have so many wonderful memories of family dinners , holidays, and backyard bbq's together. He loved his family enormously and will be forever missed. . Sharen Brown
Elaine and Mike Hourihan
May 23, 2025
Deeply saddened to learn of John's passing. He will be missed and forever in our hearts. He was a genuine, fun and loving friend. Our thoughts are with you. Hugs to you all!
Dave
May 23, 2025
Our condolences to the family. John was a great and kind guy. He will be missed. Dave and Christine Moulton.?
Dave Moulton
May 23, 2025
My condolences to the family. John was a great and kind guy. We will be missed. Dave and Christine Moulton.
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