Obituary: Cecil E. Leach

He was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil E. Leach Sr. and Alice J. Leach, of Starke, Fla.

He is survived by his wife, Linda D. Leach; his son, Chad Leach (Renee’), of Winter Garden, Fla.; and daughter, Kristin Leach, of Texas. Cecil is also survived by his four grandchildren, Michael, Grace, Sarah and Kyle; sisters, Linda Lewis, of Starke, Fla., Marie Green, of McClenny, Fla., Faye Mullinax (Jeff), of Gainesville, Fla., and Joann Shadd (Allison) and Donnie Bennett (Donald), of Raiford, Fla.; many nieces and nephews; and his little dog, Jasper.

Cecil was born in Starke, Fla., in December 1942. He graduated from Bradford High School in 1961, before joining the U.S. Army. He served overseas in Okinawa, Japan, until he was honorably discharged in 1964. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve and the National Guard. He moved to West Orange County in 1975 and worked for Florida Rock and Tank Lines, and C&W Trucking in Winter Garden, before starting and successfully operating his own trucking company before retiring in 2010. While raising his family, he was an active member in the community, coaching and umpiring Little League Baseball and Pop Warner football in Ocoee. Besides spending time with family, Cecil enjoyed spending leisure time fishing and reading about military history. Cecil was also a devoted Florida Gators fan for most of his life, and he loved to spend fall Saturday afternoons watching his Gators play in the Swamp.

Cecil was a member of First Baptist Central Florida. Services will be held graveside at the Winter Garden Cemetery with military honors. Pastor Everette Eastham Jr. will be officiating. Please check collisoncareyhand.com for service information. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Cecil Leach Family Memorial Fund, at Fairwinds Credit Union, in Winter Garden. Proceeds from the fund will be used to care for Cecil’s granddaughter, of whom he and his wife, Linda, are legal guardians.