Gene Joseph Leach

Gene Leach, 84, of Great Falls, passed away Friday, November 24, 2017. A memorial service will be Monday, November 27, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Gene was born on November 16, 1933 to JP and Agnes (Smail) Leach in Lewistown. He was raised in Coffee Creek and went to school in Denton. He worked for Dick Klick in Augusta and rodeoed. He ranched at Coffee Creek until he retired and moved to Great Falls. He married Katherine “Kathy” Triplett on December 20, 1967 at Lewistown. They were married for almost 50 years. Gene is survived by his wife, Kathy; sons Bill (Karen) Leach of Denver and Jess (Stefanie) Leach of Ledger; daughters Anita Leach of Harlowton, Susan (Andrew) Smith of Green Bay, WI, and Kelly Leach of Great Falls; sister Joan VanKuiken of Lewistown; and 10 grandchildren, Jack, Wes, and Julia Leach, Addison, Caroline, and Grier Laughlin, Jordan and Alyson Leach, and Conor and Kate Smith. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the University of Providence Rodeo Team.