Marianne Leech

1945 - 2025

Marianne Morris Leech passed away on September 24, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Born on January 1, 1945, in Knoxville, Marianne was passionate about horses from the very beginning. She became an accomplished rider, excelling in dressage. She attended a private all-girls boarding school in South Carolina before graduating from Bearden High School in Knoxville.

Her lifelong love of horses led her to work as a writer for the publication Horse World. Later in life, her passion for fine jewelry and timepieces inspired a new chapter, and she represented brands such as Rolex in New Orleans, Louisiana, with Adler's Fine Jewelry.

Marianne married the love of her life, John Ellis Leech, on September 21, 1984, and together they embarked on a grand adventure. In 1986, they returned to Tennessee and settled in Tellico Village, where they founded John Leech & Associates, a manufacturing representative company they operated until John's passing in 2012.

A devoted Tennessee Volunteer, Marianne continued the legacy of her father, Walter Lee Morris, by supporting the University of Tennessee through the establishment of an endowed athletic scholarship: the John E. and Marianne Morris Leech Charitable Trust.

Marianne is preceded in death by her parents, Walter Lee Morris and Mary Moore Morris; her brother, Walter Lee Morris II; and her beloved husband, John. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Peggi Stallcup Morris; niece Tanya Kai Morris, her husband, Greg Rogers, and their daughters, Alanah and Aliseit; niece LeAnn Morris Pliske, her husband, Christopher, and their children, Emma and Maximilian; and brother-in-law Bobby Stalcup. Marianne also leaves behind many cherished friends, including Dee Prickett, Dixie Bishop, Gaynor Shane, Mike Goss, and Sadie Stroud, among others.

A passionate traveler, Marianne explored much of the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, and Mexico. She and John are now reunited, exploring the heavens together.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Community Church of Tellico Village. Interment will be held privately at Old Gray Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee.