Obituary of John Andrew Connor Leach

John Andrew Connor Leach "Jack" 1944 - 2017 Jack Leach passed away on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2017, at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook, British Columbia. Jack was born June 28th, 1944 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario where he grew up with two sisters, Patricia and Margaret, and married his soulmate Barbara Jennings who he met in grade 2. On June 30th, 1967 they welcomed their only child Larry who was delivered by the same doctor as his father in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Jack had a sense for adventure and wanted to explore this great country of Canada developing relationships across this land. Starting in St. Catharines and Hamilton, Ontario, the family climbed aboard CP Air to go west to Prince George, BC to open a new Gallenkamp shoe store where Jack would be its first manager. With stops in Dawson Creek and Prince Rupert, BC, Taber, Medicine Hat, Calgary and Stettler, Alberta, Jack became a GM at several department stores and was President of a Chamber of Commerce. By that time Larry was off to college, and Jack and Barb made their way back east with stops in Brooks, Alberta, Kenora, Ontario and back to St. Catharines, Ontario to be with family, and to support Barb's father Sam in his older years. In 2000, Larry and his wife Jeannette gave Jack and Barb a grandson, Rory in Calgary. Shortly thereafter, they decided to retire In Cranbrook to be a little closer. Jack and Barb have developed many great friendships in Cranbrook. At that time Jack was able to connect with his half-sister in England whom he had never met and cousins in Barbados, visiting in 2013, the land his father was born in. At Jack's request, no service was held. Donations on Jack's behalf can be made to the East Kootenay S.P.C.A., PO Box 2, Cranbrook, British Columbia, V1C 4H6. Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com