David Leach

On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, David Glen Leach, extraordinary husband, devoted father, and faithful friend, passed away at the age of 69. David’s family and friends will continue to be blessed with the legacy he left us—his life, faith, and love. David was born in 1949 in Sunnyside, WA to Roy and Helen Leach. He grew up on the Satus shooting his guns, bows and arrows, and slingshots—often while riding bareback on a galloping horse. He attended Granger schools and graduated from Seattle Pacific College with a business degree. David married Janet K. Macy in 1972, and they raised two daughters together. After college, David and Janet returned to Granger, where he made his career as the General Manager of the H.L. Worden Company for over forty years. In the process, David became a close friend of Howard and Kay Worden. David’s Christian faith anchored him. He felt called to serve the people of Granger, and that was the cornerstone of his life. When David graduated college and moved back home, he was a volunteer firefighter, an auxiliary policeman, a city clerk, the city manager, a councilman for over 20 years, the mayor for 12 years, and helped develop the Granger Trade newspaper. The Granger Food Bank, however, was his most passionate endeavor. He helped develop the GFB from a small, closet-sized operation to a fully functioning community outreach with many volunteers, grants for food, and a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need. David was a servant-leader who brought out the best in others and helped them to develop their own leadership talents. He was a dedicated and detailed records-keeper, with a gift for stewardship, and the ability to rally the community. David was also deeply committed to the Parkside Missionary Church, which he attended his entire life. Over the years, he saw it grow into a large congregation and, because he believed God had a purpose and plan for this church, continued to serve as a faithful steward while PMC grew smaller. David functioned as the caretaker, financial leader, Sunday school teacher, or whatever roles were most needed at the time. David always had a sparkle of mischief in his eye and a corny joke to tell with a flair of “Leach Humor.” He had a stern, discerning gaze but was incredibly kind and patient. David loved Granger; he was happiest here in the community in which he grew up with his life-long friends. In fact, Yakima was the farthest he liked to vacation. Although David moved to the City of Granger after college, he never left behind his bucolic childhood on the Satus. He shared a piece of that life with his own girls by helping them raise horses, calves, dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, guinea pigs, parakeets, hamsters, and fish—all of which Janet patiently endured. He was delighted to see his farming legacy passed on to his grandchildren as well. Also, David still had a Satus green thumb, possibly two. He grew a small jungle in his dining room, flowers galore, and a vegetable garden with ginormous zucchinis. However, his true gardening delight was his berry patch, a detailed, carefully selected variety of berries enjoyed by his neighbors, friends, and family. David was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Helen Leach. He will be forever remembered by his wife and BFF, Janet, his two daughters, Alyshia (Rod) and Laura (Shawn), his foster-daughter, Melissa (John), and his two grandchildren, Macy and Elijah. He is also survived by his siblings Ernest, Marie, Martha, Margie, Marilyn, and Dale. A Celebration of David’s Life will be held at Valley Hills Funeral Home at 531 S. 16th St., Sunnyside, WA on Friday, December 28 at 1pm. A reception for all will follow. Donations in the memory of David may be made to the Granger Food Bank, P. O. Box 791, Granger, WA 98932. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Leach, please visit our flower store.