Of Chelsea, Michigan, age 91, passed away on Friday, August 13, 2021 at Silver Maples of Chelsea. He was born April 15, 1930 in Ann Arbor, the son of Clarence & Theresa (Schwab) Leach. Merle graduated from Chelsea High School in 1948, worked at the Chelsea Spring Plant for two years and then joined the U. S. Army where he served his country for the next two years in the Engineering Battalion at Camp McCoy, WI. After his discharge he attended Devry Electronic School in Chicago for a year and then returned to Chelsea where he repaired TVs and radios for about a year until IBM offered him a position repairing their equipment. Merle retired from IBM in 1992 after 37 years of employment.

On October 24, 1953 he married Ruth Fox, his wife of 57 years, with whom he had three sons: David, Jim and Kraig. Merle, Ruth and the boys spent their summers traveling and tent and trailer camping around Michigan, the Midwest and the northeast, including a memorable two week journey up the Saint Lawrence Seaway in Canada to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and back home via the east coast of Maine and Niagara Falls. Merle & Ruth also took numerous couple’s cruises and other trips with his brother and sister-in-law and other friends throughout the U. S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe, and they spent their winters from the early 1990’s thru 2010 in southern Texas. Merle was an avid fisherman & deer hunter and loved his time in the outdoors.

Merle was a past president of the Chelsea Jaycees and the founding President of the Chelsea Fireman’s Association, where he was instrumental in the writing and adoption of their constitution. He served as President for 10 years and spent 44 years on the Department.
Merle was preceded in death by his wife Ruth on November 6, 2011 and his parents and step-father, a sister-in-law, Barbara Leach, and a niece, Karen Carlino. He is survived by his three sons, David (Michelle) of Brighton and their children Nick & Jessica; Jim (Laurie) of Panama City, FL & his son Jim; Kraig and his daughters Danielle & Ashley; one great grandson, Carter; a brother, Melvin Leach; 3 nieces; and the second love of his life, Sonja Wackenhut.

A graveside service will be held Tuesday, Aug. 24, 11:00 am at Oak Grove Cemetery in Chelsea. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be held at the funeral home. The family will receive friends at Cole Funeral Chapel on Monday, Aug. 23 from 1-4 & 6-8 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Merle’s name may be made to Arbor Hospice, or The Alzheimer’s Foundation- Great Lakes Chapter.

A video of Merle's graveside service can be found here.

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