James R. Leach, Sr.

James "JIM" R. Leach Sr. born on North Broadway in the Village of Lake Orion on March 13, 1939. He passed away December 6, 2015 at 76 years of age and lived all of his life in Lake Orion. Jim was preceded in death by his parents Samuel & Josephine Leach and his daughter Kathleen. He was the brother of Sharon Wittkopp; loving husband of Karol; father of Carol Ketelsen, Laurie Dufour, and James Jr.; the Other Dad of Kim Leach; Step Father of Lynn Schlaf and Barbara (Mark) Schuller; grandpa for six and great-grandpa for two. Jim had been with the Lake Orion Police Department for 55 years and served as Police Chief for 19 years when he retired in 2001. He served as the President of the Oakland County Chiefs of Police in 1990-91 and served as a Firefighter for Orion Township for 19 years. He was elected as one of the last Constables for Orion Township. Jim was a Charter Member of the Lake Orion DeMolay and served as Master Counselor in Lake Orion and also served as a State Officer. He served as the Cub Master of Cub Scout Pack #37 and was a Little League Coach for Little League Baseball. Jim has been a member of the Lake Orion/Oxford Knights of Columbus Council #4764 for 49 years. Jim served in the US Army from 1956 to 1964 and is a member of the Amvets Post 108 in Oxford. Jim has been a member of Lions International for 55 years and is a member of the Rochester Lions Club. He has served as the President of Rochester, Chesterfield Bay, and Lake Orion Lions Club. He also served as the District Governor for Oakland and Macomb Counties in 1985-86. Jim served on the Board of Directors for Penrickton Center for Blind and Handicapped Children for 32 years. He also served as the President of the Board for Penrickton Center in 1989-90. Jim was one of the Founding Lion Members on the Lake Orion Lions Camp for Vision Impaired Children that is now called the Lions Bear Lake Camp. Jim was given the Melvin Jones Award and the Progressive Melvin Jones Award. He has been also given several awards for his work as a District 11-A2 Lions Editor for the Lions State Magazine. He has been given several Governors Appreciation Awards for his work in District 11-A2. Jim was given the United States President’s Lifetime Volunteer Award. Viewing will be Wednesday and Thursday from 3-9 at Sparks-Griffin Funeral Home located at 111 East Flint Street, Lake Orion. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, December 11, 2015 at 11:00am at the Lake Orion United Methodist Church located at 140 East Flint, Lake Orion. Interment Eastlawn Cemetery. At the request of Jim Leach, PLEASE NO FLOWERS. Make a memorial donation to the Penrickton Center for Blind and Handicapped Children, Leader Dogs for the Blind and/or Lions Bear Lake Camp in his name. Envelopes will be at the funeral home. Reflections may be shared with the family by visiting www.sparksgriffin.com.