From the
Oskaloosa Independent
Oskaloosa, Kansas
(Jefferson County)
Thursday, October 3, 1957

Mrs. Edna Crandall Leech, widow of the late Amos H. Leech, passed away at the home of her elder daughter, Janette Ledbetter, in Clarksburg, Tenn., on Sunday, September 29.

Born in Nortonville, Kansas, May 7, 1884, Edna Crandall grew up in that community and taught in the public school there.

Her employment by the Oskaloosa grade school board in 1909 brought her into this community, where she rapidly made a wide circle of friends. In her 4th year of teaching here, the late Amos H. Leech invited Edna to make her residence here permanent; they were married on January 2, 1918.

Their family are two sons, Amos, Jr., of Los Angeles and William C. of Oskaloosa; two daughters, Mrs. Janette Ledbetter, of Clarksburg, Tenn., and Mrs. Ruth I. Finley of Oskaloosa.

Mr. Leech was a successful businessman and public servant of his city and county for two decades. In the midst of his fourth term as county commissioner he was stricken and passed, March, 1935.

Mrs. Leech gave of her talents to community life abundantly and freely to choir, church school and other auxiliaries of First Presbyterian church; to Eastern Star, where she became Worthy Matron; to social club groups. More than a decade and a half ago the handicap of physical suffering was laid upon her, but it so failed to daunt her rare spirit that her pastor, Rev. A. P. Gutierrez, was drawn to the book of Job to find adequate interpretation of Edna's later life. In her wheel chair, year after year, her character was enriched and perfected, an example to her community of friends, a lasting challenge to her dutiful family, and final fitting for the more abundant dwelling hereafter.

(Ed. note: Mrs. Leech was born Edna Kendall, per Clay County, MO, Marr. Lic. No. 1113)