MT. UPTON – Edward J. Leech, 65, of Mt. Upton, passed away Monday, Feb. 4, 2008 in the Chenango Memorial Hospital.
Born in the Town of Butternuts in Nov. of 1942, Ed was the son of Arthur and Georgeinez (Camp) Leech. Growing up in the South New Berlin area, he attended the local schools. Ed was employed by the City of Norwich Highway Dept. for 25 years, working as a Heavy Equipment Operator until his retirement in 1998. An avid sportsman, he enjoyed both hunting and fishing and liked watching football on the television. He loved playing bass guitar and for a time had belonged to a country band in the Georgetown area known as “The Drifters.” A man with a no-nonsense attitude, he still liked to play small practical jokes such as filling the ends of driveways with snow when he was plowing, and one of the joys of his life was restoring old cars. Ed and his wife, the former Joan Brazee, were married in Plymouth on April 1, 1984.
Ed is survived by his wife, Joan Leech of Mt. Upton; his children: Irene Wilson of South New Berlin, and Jane “Sissy” Brown and husband David of South Otselic; by his adopted daughter, Jeannae Straley of Mt. Upton; and by his sister and brothers: Juanita Nichols of Cortland, James Leech of Mt. Vision, and William Leech and wife Janet of South New Berlin. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Eric, Joshua, and Kevin Brown, and Holly, Corey, and Stephanie Palmer; his great granddaughter, Tracey Joslin; his adopted grandchildren: Robin, Raeannon, Ralissa, and Ryan Straley; nieces, nephews, and cousins; and his “forever best friends” Rich and Genny Bunting and Wesley Adams, all of Hamilton. Ed was predeceased by his first wife, Diane Eaton Leech; his son. Henry Leech; sisters and brothers: Alma Bresee, Marion Berube, and Arthur, Robert, Donald, and Alan Leech; and his grandchildren, Damian and Gunner Leech.
Funeral services for Ed will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. Romeyn Kipp, pastor of the Holmesville Baptist Church, and the Rev. Brian Conover, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church of Norwich, will officiate.
Interment will be at a later date in the Copes Comers Cemetery of Butternuts. Friends are invited to call at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home on Friday from 6-9 p.m.