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.
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.
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