Dr. Carlos (C.M.) Monroe Leach

Dr. Carlos Monroe (C.M.) Leach passed away Friday, April 28, 2017. He was born May 11, 1922, at his family home in Gainesville, to Felix Homer, Sr. and Dieliew Louise Leach. He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1940 and Gainesville Junior College in 1942. As a teenager, he worked as a substitute rural mail carrier. Dr. Leach married Wilma Lavoy Chapman at First Baptist Church in Gainesville on August 20, 1943, with the Rev. T. Hollis Epton officiating.

Dr. Leach received his Naval Air Corps wings upon completion of training at Pensacola, Florida. At the onset of WWII, the Marine Air Corp took the top graduates for the Pacific theater. Dr. Leach was chosen and shipped out with the Marine Air Corp VMB 433 Squadron to Emirau Island off the coast of New Guinea. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Gold Star after completing 55 low altitude bombing missions in a Mitchell B-25.

After the war, Dr. Leach attended North Texas State for one year and was then among the 50 of 500 applicants accepted to the class of 1950 University of Texas Dental School. Dr. Leach opened his dental office in Gainesville upon graduation where he practiced for 33 years. There were only 4 other dentists in Cooke County at the time he opened his clinic.

Dr. Leach was charter member, treasurer, and deacon of Temple Baptist Church. He was the president of 4th District Dental Society and Life Member of Texas Dental Association. He was a member of Gainesville Masonic Lodge 210 and Moslah Shrine and held memberships at North Lake and Lake Kiowa.

Dr. Leach enjoyed spending time with his family, cooking BBQ, and working with tile. When his sons were in high school, he BBQ’d for the entire High School football team. He produced over 150 tile tables which are still enjoyed by many in his family. Dr. Leach is survived by his wife, Wilma Leach, and children, Carlos and Rosemary Leach of Kerrville, Texas, Tim and Debbie Leach, Doug Leach, and Dr. Sam and Karen Leach, all residing in Gainesville. His grandchildren include; Andrew, Taylor, Clifton, Tyler, Grant, Cameron, David, William, Aaron, Lydia, Samuel, Taylor and Tyler Leach, Lauren Giesler, and Sarah Maguire, and twelve great-children.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Temple Baptist Church in Gainesville. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.