Obituaries : Leon Fye Leach

Leon Fye Leach, 73, of Waterloo, formerly of Fredericksburg, died Friday, August 22, 2025, at the Sunrise Hill Care Center in Traer. He was born August 16, 1952, in Sumner, to Derwood and Maxine (Potratz) Leach. He graduated from Fredericksburg High Schoolin 1970 and attended Upper Iowa University.

Leon married RobbieJo Fye on September 22, 1979, on the family farm in Chickasaw County. He was a commercial and residential carpenter on his own and for Kirk Gross, Dillards, and residential housing at UNI. During his fifteen years at UNI, he took great pride in teaching his student workers new skills, and many of those students remained in contact with him. He was also proud of being a previous board member and member of the AFSME Union.

As a BMW motorcycle enthusiast, Leon loved taking solo motorcycle trips and meeting people along the way. Leon loved a good party. At home, Leon loved to putz around in his workshop and was an excellent cook and baker. He also enjoyed camping, reading, raising Brittany Spaniels and adopting special-needs cats.

Leon is survived by his wife of 45 years, Robbie Fye Leach of Waterloo, two brothers Jim Leach of McFerson, Ks and Randy (Jane) Leach of Fredericksburg, twin sister Linda (Rick) Marszalek of Mundelein, Il, brothers and sisters in law, Glenni Leach of Cedar Rapids, Norma Leach of Fredericksburg, Sherri Leach of Waterloo, Mona (Pytr) Knoll of Cedar Rapids, Peg (David) O'Rourke of Cedar Rapids, Tammy (Ron) Carolan of Fredericksburg, and Lissa (Loren) Lippmann of Vinton, as well as 77 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Bob, Gerry and Butch Leach, sisters in law Virginia, Vera, and Veryl Leach, nephews Jeff Leach and Dominic O'Rourke, niece Penny Corbett, and brother-in-law John Fye.

A memorial open house will be held Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 2:00 - 5:00 PM, at Locke at Tower Park, 4140 Kimball Ave.

Memorials may be directed to Greenpeace, an organization Leon was very passionate about, or towards the planting of a tree at the Cedar Valley Arboretum.