Dr. Charles Sloan Leech (1929)
LEECH, NULL, THOMPSON, WILLIAMS
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 5/14/2006 at 22:47:04
The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, March 14, 1929DEATH OF CHARLES S. LEECH
Dr. Charles S. Leech, a prominent dentist and musician of Winterset, died Friday, March 8th, 1929, at 6 o'clock at the Angus hotel in St. Paul. Dr. Leech, left Winterset several months ago, for Rochester, and he underwent treatment there, and at St. Paul. His condition was thought to be improving, but a heart attack caused his death, as he was sitting in a chair, talking to his brother, Dr. Chester Leech, of Minneapolis. He was 53 years of age.
Mr. Leech has always made his home in Winterset. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leech.
Following his graduation from the local high school, he took dentistry at the State University of Iowa, and was graduated in the class of 1899. He was a memer of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Dr. Leech also took music at Simpson college in Indianola, where he studied voice under Dr. Emil Emsley and Arthur Middleton. He also took special work in pipe organ in Des Moines and in Chicago. Since he was a young man Dr. Leech has done extensive work with his musical ability, giving both piano and voice lessons. He specialized in chorus work, and has conducted choirs at the Methodist Episcopal and First Presbyterian churches here.
He leaves three sisters and two brothers, Miss Laura, of Colorado Springs; Mrs. Flora Thompson, of La Junta, Colorado; Mrs. Lucille Null and John A. Leech of Winterset, and Dr. Cheser Leech, of Minneapolis.
The Rev. Paul Main Fowler conduced the funeral services at the First Presbyterian church in Winterset, Tuesday afternoon, March 12th, at 2:30 o'clock, and burial was made in the Winterset cemetery. Dr. Leech was a member of the Episcopalian church, and Dr. Wyckoff, of Des Moines, was to have been here to conduct the services, but his car broke down near Prole and it was impossible for him to reach Winterset.
________________________The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, March 14, 1929
Page 1, Column 5LAST RITES FOR DR. C. S. LEECH
Services Tuesday At The Presbyterian Church In Winterset
Many friends gathered at the First Presbyterian church Tuesday afternoon to attend the services for Dr. Charles Sloan Leech, who died Friday evening in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Rev. Paul Fowler, pastor of the church, conducted the services at 2:30; burial was in the Winterset cemetery. The pallbearers were W. C. Krabiel, Myles Young, Phil Wilkinson, Leo Percival, J. Robert Cornell, and Dr. C. B. Hickenlooper.
Dr. Leech was one of the popular and most public spirited men in Winterset. His interest in the boys and girls who showed evidence of musical talent is well known. He not only was a fine instructor but his advice and often his aid were at the disposal of his different protégés. Had Dr. Leech cared to give up his dental practice he could have gone far as a musical director. His reputation as one of the best directors in Iowa was acknowledged in all musical circles over the state.
He organized and directed the Orpheus Glee club, was director one season of one of Winterset’s best bands, had directed the Methodist church choir and choruses and had been organist as well as choir director of the Presbyterian church a number of years. He gave unstintedly of his talent and time.
Dr. Leech was fifty-three years old, the son of Robert Laughlin and Addie Williams Leech and had spent all but one year of his life in Winterset. He graduated from the Winterset High school in 1894 and in 1898 from the dental college of the University of Iowa. He had studied at the Simpson conservatory in Indianola under Dr. Emslie and Arthur Middleton. He practiced dentistry a year at Denison and then located in Winterset.
He had been in ill health several years and last fall went abroad hoping to be benefited by the trip. Shortly before Christmas he went to the Mayo clinic at Rochester for treatments, going from there to St. Paul to recuperate. He was much improved and had expected to be able to return home in a short time when death followed a heart attack.
He affiliated with Phi Delta Theta fraternity when in college and was a member of the Episcopal church.
He is survived by his sisters, Mrs. Laura Leech, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Mrs. Cleve Thompson, Weatherford, Oklahoma; Mrs. Lucile Null, Winterset; his brothers, Dr. Chester Leech, St. Paul, Minnesota, and J. A. Leech, Winterset.
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