Robert Boyden Leach
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Robert Boyden Leach, passed away in Knoxville, TN at the age of 94 of August 5, 2021. He was born on November 27, 1926, in Knoxville to Dr. Robert Swepson Leach and Jennie Belle Boyden Leach at the Riverside Hospital. He had an idyllic childhood in Sequoyah Hills and attended TMI in Sweetwater, TN and UT Knoxville. He was a member of the SAE Fraternity and remained an avid UT supporter his entire life. He served in Korea in the Chorwan Valley from 1952-1954. He enjoyed his career in the life insurance business especially at Appalachian National. He was retired from Principle Life Insurance Co in St Petersburg, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Anne Elizabeth (Betty) Leach Merrill; grandchildren, Nathaniel James Hester, whom he looked forward to seeing again, and Jennie Marie Hester; and the mother of his children, Sarah Long Peterson. He is survived by his children, Sally-Heath Leach (Rev. Mark) Hester, Elizabeth Leach McDaniel (Bryan) Skyy, and Natalie Leach Sisk; grandchildren, Ryan and Clay McDaniel, Rebecca Hester Miller Blasdell (Jason Blasdell), Robert Hester (Dr. Lauren Mulreany), Keely Sisk and Lauren (Darren) Qualls; great-grandchildren, Phoenix, Maxwell and Lennox Miller and Azriel Qualls; sister, Natalie Leach Haslam and brother-in-law, Jim Haslam; several nieces and nephews; and special friends, Frank and Linda Emmanuel and Vic and Bonnie Gentile. He was a life-long Episcopalian and grew up attending St. John's Cathedral. The family wishes to thank the staff at Deane Hill Place and Avalon Hospice for their care of Boyden during the past few months. Graveside service and internment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association www.heart.org