Joseph Newton Leach, 87, of Lake Village, Indiana, passed away January 1, 2022 after suffering a debilitating stroke.

Joseph was born in Gary, Indiana on August 19, 1934.  He was raised in Cedar Lake, IN and attended Crown Point High School.   He enjoyed stock car racing.  Joseph was a hard worker all of his life.  He spent a couple of years as a police officer, including Chief of Police, in Lowell, IN, but spent most of his adult life working as a cement mason for Local 165. He was always proud to point out the numerous job sites he worked on throughout Indiana anytime he was traveling in a vehicle. Joseph was a member of Victory Baptist Church in Roselawn, Indiana.

Joseph moved around quite a bit in his lifetime, including living in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Florida, and California.  Joseph’s daughter Sandra described him as being a stubborn, strong-willed, independent man who took great pride in caring for himself, and continuing to work side jobs, especially mowing grass for others, right up until he was hospitalized with Covid-19 in October 2020. Unable to live on his own anymore, at the age of 86, Joseph was transferred to George Ade Memorial Health Care Center in Brook, IN in November 2020.  In 2021, Joseph was hospitalized at St. Anthony’s in Crown Point, IN on December 14th after suffering a debilitating stroke, and remained hospitalized until he was transferred to hospice care at Aperion in Roselawn, IN on December 27th, where he was made comfortable for his final days. He passed away peacefully early on New Year’s Day 2022.

Joseph is survived by his children: Jeff (Jenn) Leach & Sandra (Walter) Egyed II of Lake Village, IN; Jeryl (Angela) Leach of DeMotte, IN; Sheryl (Mike) Casey of Lowell, IN; Sue (Jon) Greenlee of Chantilly, VA; and John Leach of Cape Coral, FL; his daughter-in-law Karen Hess Smith of Paducah, KY; the mother of his children, Mary Leach Beedle of Lake Village, IN, who he was married to for 16 years; and his grandchildren: Jennifer (Joe) Morrison, Joseph (Gina) Leach, Jr., Sydney & Jordan Greenlee, Kayla (Vince) Georgeff, Michelle Leach, Maria & Megan Egyed, and Ashley Leach.

Joseph was preceded in death by his sons: James Raymond Leach (in 1960) & Joseph Lester Leach, Sr. (in 1999); his wife Christa (in 2014), as well as his parents: Frances Lester Leach, Sr. & Mabel Irene (Doty) Leach; his brothers & sisters-in-law: Clive Manley “Jack” (Wilma) Leach, Wallace Alvin “Stub” (Ida Mae) Leach, and Frances Lester (Norma) Leach, Jr.; his sisters & brothers-in-law: Bessie Pearl (Dewey) Burton, infant twin sisters, Francis Maxine (Burt) Thompson, Neva Wanear (Vertrees “Tease”) Rainwater, Marjorie Leach, and Phyllis Jean (Bob) Vought.

Per Joseph’s wishes, there was no viewing before his cremation.  You are welcome to join the family at a brief graveside service and burial of Joseph’s remains at the Lake Village Cemetery to be held on Sunday, January 9, 2022 at 1 PM CST.

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