Message from the family:
Richard Leach, a long time Clayton Valley educator, passed away in early December of 2022.
He worked at Clayton Valley High School (now Charter School) for over 40 years, as a teacher and then retired as a Vice Principal.
He was so well known in the community and made such an impact on so many young lives. He was such a wonderful man!
The family is having a celebration of life for him on Sunday, January 29th.
It would mean a lot to the family if anyone who did know him (students, colleagues, friends, fellow educators), or had a nice memory, to send this in writing (pictures welcomed also) to RickLeach129@gmail.com.
13 comments
Does anyone know where the celebration of life is going to be? Or is it private?
We asked. We will post here when we find out.
Mr. Leach was my science teacher(the 80’s). And then was a massive mentor to my son at Clayton Valley (the 2000’s). I am sad to read this.
Unfortunately the ceremony is private.
We asked and unfortunately the memorial will be private.
Too young. Knew him well as we both taught at CVHS . Best memory was 1972 when Rick and my family chaperones the gifted science kids to Shasta lake the Trinities and Eureka over the Easter vacation. Great memories..Dick Ellis..age 91
Too young. Knew him well as we both taught at CVHS . Best memory was 1972 when Rick and my family chaperones the gifted science kids to Shasta lake the Trinities and Eureka over the Easter vacation. Great memories..Dick Ellis..age 91
RIP. One of my favorite teachers. Mr. Leach made it cool to like science. God, we had fun in his class.
– Class of ‘78
A really wonderful person. He taught me to Scuba dive in 1992 and worked with my parents during summers so I got to spend a lot of time with him. I have such fond memories of our talks and his mentoring.
Didn’t have him as a teacher at CV, but knew him as the Women’s Swim Coach off and on for many years. He’d often step up to help coach the team when Dennis (aka ‘Sir’) Bledsoe would be short of a Women’s coach. I know many loved him as a Bio teacher and I once ran into him when he was working during Ski Season when he was selling skis at Oshman’s as I recall. RIP.
My condolences to the family
I had the honor of working with Rick at CV for over 30 years; first as my mentor and then as my neighbor and colleague in D wing. Rick was an excellent teacher and role model. His focus was always on the welfare of the students both academically and behaviorally. When he headed up the conflicts management program, the writing was on the wall, and while the science department lost a valuable classroom teacher the school gained a compassionate VP. As Chuck Jordan would say; “He was a man to ride the river with.” It was privilege to have known this man and worked alongside him.
Mr. Leach was my bio teacher my niece’s & my son’s vice principal. He also helped me when I was taking sucba classes. He was one of my favorite teachers. “78”
Mr. Leach taught me how to dive off the blocks and what global warming is when I was in high school on the swim team and in his A period biology class. Later he was a go-to vice principal for support and guidance when I was a young teacher. He is a testament to excellence in public education as a teacher, a coach and an administrator.
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