Profile - Bill and Tanner Leach

Bill Leach

While in High School in Kamloops, B.C., my oldest brother Bill acquired three pen-pals: a guy in France, a guy in Norway and a girl in Vienna. Immediately after we had moved to Calgary in October 1974 Bill enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces. When Bill was first posted to Canadian Forces Base Lahr in West Germany he hopped a train for Vienna to meet his pen pal Karin Shauser. Bill and Karin married in July 1980.

Bill retired from military service after 23 years – nine of which were spent in Germany – and now resides on an acreage on the NE outskirts of Edmonton near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta with Karin and their pets. Bill is a prolific reader – always has been - and possesses an incredible thirst for knowledge. His exhaustive research techniques are comprehensive and meticulous. Bill is fluent in German and comfortable in speaking French and continuously works on improving both.

Bill enjoys travelling and learning about world history possessing a particular interest in Canadian military history. Bill has completed two trips to Africa and both times visited a boy in Ghana that he and Karin have sponsored for many years. He has a long wish list of future trips that include riding the Siberian Express from Russia to China and touring the middle-east.

Tanner Leach

And as for me, I have been with the City of Calgary for over 37 years – the last 29 with Calgary Transit. I am a Trades Foreman in our NE LRV repair facility where our skilled staff performs routine maintenance and component overhaul of Calgary Transit’s CTrains.  My wife Elaine and I live just north of Calgary in the bedroom community of Airdrie.

My interests other than family history is cooking and music. I enjoy cooking for family and friends - preparing old standbys, trying new recipes and experimenting in cooking dishes from other countries. As for music, my tastes are widely varied from classical to classic rock, old country to crooners, hard rock to jazz, big band to acoustic soloists... but come Christmas - look out! I have a huge Christmas music collection and it plays constantly from November 12 (not before!) until January 1 each year. 


Bill and I also enjoy whiskies from around the world. My preference is currently with Irish whiskey but I have many Canadian ryes, Scotches and bourbons for when the mood takes me in those directions. It is a pleasant way to put closure on a day relaxing with a shot of nice whiskey.


When it comes to world travel, I am a greenhorn. The furthest east I have been is Quebec City, Quebec. I have travelled to the southern states of Arizona, California and Nevada and the only tropical destination I have been to was the Dominican Republic.

I am extremely excited to travel to Europe to see old world places; to experience European culture; to enjoy amazing food, wines and beers; but above all, to stand where our grandfathers and this fine country’s forefathers have stood, where many had paid the ultimate sacrifice and where so many are laid in their final resting place so you and I may enjoy the freedoms and lifestyle we have been blessed with. That is what is most humbling.

I started doing family research in the early 1980’s but life as a whole got busy and priorities changed. I had resumed my family history research a couple of years ago and although time consuming, I find it incredibly fascinating. That is something I will continue after the trip concludes. 

I often wish my grandparents were still with us to answer the multitude of questions that have arose as a result of the research. Grandpa Hunt rarely spoke of his experiences in WWII as was the norm with most war veterans. It really makes one wonder about the horrors he experienced and the emotions that came with them that he had locked away in order to be able to cope with “normal” civilian life and the daily challenges that came from supporting a family in those times.