Jeffrey Allen Leach, 58
Jeffrey Allen Leach, age 58 of New Hampton, Iowa, died Thursday, February 10, 2022, at MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, February 17, 2022, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton, IA with Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the service. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in New Hampton with Shane Erlandson, John Kuhn, Blaine Feltz, Bill Schilling, Travis Leach, and Kevin Thurm serving as pallbearers. The honorary pallbearer will be Jeff's soon-to-be grandson, Dawson Allen Leach.
Friends may greet the family from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service on Thursday at the funeral home. Online condolences for the Leach family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com
Jeff was born on February 1, 1964, to Jerome and Vera (Wilharm) Leach in Sumner, and he grew up in the Fredericksburg area with his parents and his sister Karie and his brother Travis.
He attended school in Fredericksburg, where he excelled in football and track; in fact, for many years, Jeff held the school record in the 200-meter dash. He graduated from Fredericksburg High School in 1982 and attended Hawkeye Community College where he studied in the auto body program.
Jeff took a job as an auto mechanic with Vern Laures Auto Center in 1986 and spent 30 years "under the hoods" of vehicles. He was one of those guys who always put the customer first. He made sure their cars and trucks were in tip-top condition and was one of those mechanics who believed that his job was to fix vehicles and not try to sell customers something they didn't need.
Jeff, though, was first and foremost a family man. He had known Brenda Tierney for years, but one night, the two got to talking while they were attending a dance at Chip's Ballroom in Lawler. The spark was lit that night, the two began dating, fell in love, and were married on May 28, 1988.
Jeff and Brenda had two children, Ryan and Ashley, and their father gave them the best gift of all — his time and attention. To this day, the Leach kids remember their Saturdays at the farm, where Jeff loved to give them snowmobile and four-wheeler rides. They also will never forget that their dad was at all their sporting events, that the family enjoyed numerous fun-filled vacations, that they always had a blast carving pumpkins or dying Easter Eggs, that Jeff was an excellent griller and that their dad always made sure Ryan and Ashley knew they had a father who always had their backs.
He was a hard worker his entire life. For many years, he worked for Reicks View Farms, especially during the planting and harvesting seasons, which meant he'd work a full day for Vern, head to the fields for another "full day," get home at 2 a.m. and be back to work at the shop early in the morning.
Jeff put up a valiant and courageous fight against Stage IV lung cancer for the past six years, and his doctors told his wife and children that he was in many ways, a miracle. Although he had to give up his job at Vern Laures, he worked as a driver for Milkhouse Candles for a while, but more than anything, those that knew Jeff will always remember his tenacity and the positive attitude he showed throughout his tenacious battle
He served a couple of years on the New Hampton Library Board and enjoyed giving back to the community where he and his wife raised their family.
Jeff also was so looking forward to the birth of his first grandchild — a boy who is scheduled to arrive this April — but we also know that when that young boy arrives, he'll be the proudest grandpa in Heaven.
This man who was a wonderful husband to Brenda for almost 34 years, a fantastic father to Ryan and Ashley, and a loyal friend to so many for so long will be dearly missed by many. He taught all of us the value of perseverance and smiling through adversity, and he leaves us with so many great memories.
Jeff is survived by his wife, Brenda Leach of New Hampton, IA; one son, Ryan (Brittany) Leach of Waukee, IA; one daughter, Ashley (Blaine) Feltz of New Hampton, IA; father, Jerome "Butch" (Norma) Leach of Fredericksburg, IA; one brother, Travis (Christa) Leach of Jesup, IA; one sister, Karie (Terry) Rethamel of Hampton, VA; mother-in-law, Lois Tierney of New Hampton, IA; brothers and sisters-in-law Barb (John) Kuhn of New Hampton, IA, Brian (Shelly) Tierney of New Hampton, IA, Brad Tierney of Fredrika, IA; one soon to be grandson, Dawson Allen Leach.
Jeff was preceded in death by his mother, Vera Leach in 2004; father-in-law, Arnie Tierney in 2021.
