Obituary of Elsie Leach

Elsie May Leach Graveside services for Elsie May Leach of Salem, MO, formerly of Elsberry, MO, were held at 12:30 p.m. Monday, February 28, 2005 at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO. J. Larry Carter of Carter-Ricks Funeral Homes officiated. Mrs. Leach, 92, died early Saturday morning, February 26, 2005 at Salem Memorial District Hospital in Salem, MO. Born April 17, 1912 in Mill Springs, MO, she was the daughter of the late James and Minnie O. O'Dell Brown. She was united in marriage on September 28, 1931 in Poplar Bluff, MO to Orville Truman Leach. She was employed for 23 years as a wirer for Emerson Electric in St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Leach moved to the Elsberry area in 1970. Following her husband's death in 2000, she moved to Salem to be near her sister. Mrs. Leach was a former member of the Garden Club in St. Louis. Besides her parents, James and Minnie Brown, she was preceded in death by five brothers: Plez Brown, Owen Brown, Richard Brown, Ernie Brown and Edward Brown; two sisters: Edna Million and Evelyn Ballard; and her beloved husband of 68 years, Orville T. Leach who died April 4, 2000. Survivors include three daughters: Leona Jones of Bridgeton, NJ, Gladys Jones and her husband, George, of Thousand Oaks, CA, and Mildred Bernice Moore of San Jose, CA; thirteen grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great, great-grandchildren. She also leaves two sisters: Nina Phillips of Salem, and Sylvia Dorden and her husband, Jim, of Piedmont; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Visitation was held from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 28, 2005 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.