Linda May Leach

Linda May Leach, 71 of Rock, MI and Leesburg, FL passed away on July 17, 2018 at The Villages Hospital in Central Florida, following a six day stay, that ended her seven-month battle with Multiple Myeloma (plasma cell cancer).

Linda was born May 24, 1947 in The Pas, (Ralls Island) Northern Manitoba, Canada. She was the daughter of fur trapper, Firmin and his wife Helena (Hope) “Skipper” Ducharme. The night of her birth, a snow storm prevented the doctor from getting to Ralls Island. Firmin, the fur trapper, turned into a doctor, and delivered Linda. This resulted in her nickname of ‘Stormy’ as a young girl. Sled dogs were part of her early life and she enjoyed attending and participating in the Annual Trappers Festival in The Pas, and the Annual Trout Festival in Flin Flon. She liked to tell about those long, cold walks to school at -40 degrees with wind driven snow. (on a recent trip to The Pas, this was verified to be about 0.4 tenths of a mile!) She had many adventures along the banks of the Saskatchewan River and remained in contact with her many friends from The Pas area. Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) as were the long sun lit summer days and the moon filled long winter nights, a normal part of her childhood and young adult life.

Linda adventured from this northern frontier, to the Southern Most Point of the United States, Key West, Florida. Trading fresh water for salt, she became avid about saltwater sport fishing. She collected and broadcast the daily Key West fishing report on the local radio station for several years. It was there on a Labor Day weekend in 1983, she reluctantly agreed to join a girlfriend on sailing trip along the Florida Keys. She met a Sailor from the local Naval Air Station on this adventure. After he pursued her on a six-year ‘stormy’ courtship taking her to Virginia Beach, returned her to Key West, then to the St Croix, USVI (where she finally said ‘Yes”). She returned to Key West and married Raymond Leach CPO, USN, Ret, onboard the SS Wolfe at sunset July 8, 1989. Making residence in Virginia Beach, VA.

Linda moved to Rock in 1994, and then Escanaba in 1996, she quickly made many friends and was employed by OSF Medical Group until her retirement in 2010. She enjoyed golfing in the summers. playing cribbage, bingo, water volley ball, Texas Hold Em, beating the guys in fast track, and the card game ‘golf’ at camp on the Escanaba River with Bill and Doris Lewis. Linda was an avid bowler in her younger years and took part in national level tournaments. She wintered in Yuma, AZ with her sister and many Canadian friends for several years and for the last four winters in Leesburg, FL. Linda was always active and involved. She served as a member of the Gladstone Golf Club’s Board of Directors for several years. Linda enjoyed many golfing adventures and tournaments over the years with her friends

Her luck in winning 50/50’s, and other games of chance earned her the nick name of Lucky Linda. She also won a Red Corvette in a car raffle in Key West. Lucky streaks come to an end, but not for Linda. She will be remembered by her many, many friends, and family as Lucky Linda, she got to heaven before us. Even in losing she always knew she would win again
.
Linda is survived by her husband, Raymond H. Leach, CPO, USN, Ret of Rock, her beloved dog, Sailor. Daughter’s Nicole (Terry) McKinnon, Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, Michelle (Warren Lowe) Martinson, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada, son Jason ‘Jay’ Martinson (Beatrice Brignell), The Pas, Northern Manitoba, Canada. Stepson Michael (Christie) Leach of Jacksonville, FL. Eight granddaughters Terra, Stasie (Christian Matheson), Stephanie, Alexandra, and Savana McKinnon. Amanda (Lowe) (Jordan) Chappell. Anna and Naomi Leach. Two grandsons, Jerry Lowe and Nathan Leach. Four great granddaughters Abigail McKinnon, Addison Matheson, Luna and Kalliope Chappell. Sisters Deanna ‘DeeDee” Trembly, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, Judy (Louie) Gareau, South Hampton, Ontario, Canada. Sisters in law Grace Ducharme, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, Sue Ann Schwan, Kincheloe, Michigan, and Marlene Clausen, McFarland, Michigan. Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Also surviving are her favorite ladies’ golfing partners in fun and shopping, Jackie Kaminen Forslund, Kay Aalto, Kathy Johnson of Rock and Gerry Miljour, Tucson, AZ. Also, Key West roommates Jewel Baker Mazza of Orange Texas, and Robin Mead of Baldwinsville, New York. Her porcupine authority and advisor, Mike Aalto. Linda’s kitchen designer, and good friend Richard ‘Dick’ Forslund, and cribbage instructor/student Edward Dean Forslund. Linda made friends with so many people, in so many places, and was never known to forget a friend’s name.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, two bothers Dennis, and Dewy Ducharme, and brother in law, Larry Clausen.

A celebration of life will be held at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone on Monday, July 30, 2018 at 5:00 PM. The family will receive freinds from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.