LACONIA, N.H. – Eugene Wells Leach Sr., 73, of 55 Cat Path, Gilford, N.H., died at the Lakes Region General Hospital, Tuesday, Oct. 30.

He was born at home in Dry Mills on July 3, 1934, the son of Victor E. and Hortence H. (Lowe) Leach.

He graduated from Pennell Institute in Gray in 1952, and attended Maine Technical Institute in Portland. He played semi-pro baseball for the “Auburn Aces” in Auburn for several seasons after trying out as a left-handed pitcher for the Boston Braves in Atlanta, Ga., and later was asked to tryout for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

He had been a resident of Gilford, N.H., since 1964, coming from New York state, where he had been employed for several years with Perini Corp. He worked for Perini Corp. of Framingham, Mass., for 30 years before retirement, working all over the U.S. cleaning up federal super fund sites and interstate highways as a civil engineer.

He also worked for Pike Industries and for a few years, in the 80s, he had his own excavating business locally called C & L Contractors and most recently with North American Reserve, Laconia, until his death.

He had been a member of the Cumberland Lodge 12, A.F. & A.M. in New Gloucester since 1954. He was a lifetime member of the Winnipesaukee Shrine-Bektash Temple, Concord, N.H.

He was a very loving husband to his wife of 54 years, Susan (Spearin) Leach of Gilford, N.H. He is also survived by daughters, Sharon L. Siers and her husband, Gary, of Post Falls, Idaho, Linda L. Wagner of Laconia, N.H., Lisa L. Mowery and her husband, Scott, of Laconia; sons, Eugene W. Leach Jr., and his wife, Danette, of Gilford and Ryan P. Leach and his wife, Dana, of Midway, Utah; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a sister, Cora Skillings, of Gray; and five nephews.