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East Helena Obituary: Cheryl “Kay” Leach
Author: Family of Cheryl “Kay” Leach

Cheryl “Kay” Leach

Family of Cheryl “Kay” Leach

Known to most people as Kay, she was born in Springfield, Missouri on September 10th, 1941, with the name Francis Lucille Claton.

The unwanted child of a single mother was then raised in an orphanage for the first two years of her life. Maxine, a childhood friend of her mother’s, had a boy and wanted a little girl, but could no longer bear children. Therefore, Maxine stole baby Francis from the orphanage and moved to California with her husband and named this little girl Cheryl Kay Hunt.

Kay was the wife of Robert (Bob) Leach and mother of four sons, Richard, Rolland, Robert, and Raymond. Bob and Kay were married for over 60 years, and Kay was a very loving and supportive wife and mother. Bob and Kay met in 1958 at school, eating lunch. Bob put his arm around her and said, “Hey, Cutie,” and the rest was history - dating through high school and getting married on November 7th, 1965.

Kay did not know how to cook, so Bob taught her, and then she made sure that once the kids were old enough, they knew how to cook. Richard, Robert, and Raymond became cooks. Rolland just enjoys cooking for his family.

Kay enjoyed gardening, animals, and art. She loved to color, paint clay houses, beading, and doing puzzles, which are decorating their home. She loved supporting the ministry of the Gideons. She was a woman who prayed every day for her family and friends.

Services will be held on Sunday, May 3rd, 2026, at the Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church, at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Gideons Memorial Bible to provide Bibles in memory of “Kay”.

Celebration of Life:

2:00 pm Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church, 3384 Canyon Ferry Rd, East Helena, Montana 59635.

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PhotoCredit: Family Of Kay Leach
Image 1 Caption: Cheryl “Kay” Leach Photo Provided by Family