Printer, pilot, publisher.
Born in the RM of Elton on 11 February 1906, one of seven children of Evadne Joseph Leech (c1880-1918) and Jane Olive Dorsey (1881-1965), nephew of John Hillyard Leech, he attended Brandon public schools including the Brandon Collegiate.
In 1928, he founded Leech Printing and later started the Brandon Optimist. In 1929, he was among the first Canadians to obtain a commercial pilot's licence and became a qualified flying instructor. In 1934, he was a founding member and President of the Brandon Flying Club, later becoming the instructor-manager of the club. He was a captain with Trans-Canada Airlines and later flew for Quebec Airways, being captain of the inaugural flight between Montreal and Quebec City. During the Second World War, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and rose to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He trained pilots and, at one time, was second-in-command of No. 12 Squadron at Ottawa and Flight Commander at Patricia Bay and Comox, British Columbia.
After his military discharge, he returned to Brandon and established Leech Printing Limited with his two sons and later founded the Wawanesa Optimist. in 1947, he was appointed King's Printer and held the position until resigning in May 1954.
On 1 January 1929, he married Edna Gladys Wilson (?-?) at Brandon and they had two sons. He was a member of the Brandon Kinsmen Club, Wally Byam Caravan Association (Canada), Brandon Retriever Club, UCT, and Manitoba Branch of the Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association. An active trainer of Labrador retrievers, he won at the Canadian National Field Trials (1981),
He died at the Brandon General Hospital on 16 March 1989 and was buried in the Brandon Cemetery.
Birth registration [Albert Cecil Ev Leech], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Adney J. Leech], Brandon Sun, 30 December 1918, page 10.
Marriage registration [Cecil Evadue Leech, Edna Gladys Wilson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“C. E. Leech King's Printer,” Winnipeg Free Press, 9 June 1947, page 3.
“C. E. Leech resigns from public post,” Brandon Sun, 7 May 1954, page 3.
“Leech was top trainer,” Brandon Sun, 18 March 1989, page 2.
Obituary, Brandon Sun, 20 March 1989, page 6.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 1 January 2026
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