Born in Star on October 23, 1929, she was raised working on the sprawling family farm with her parents and siblings. She talked often about she was the youngest and smallest of the children and how “those were simple and good times. We ate dinner together after working on the farm and then went to the porch and talked. We saw the most glorious red sunsets and the golden sparks of the fireflies were just fascinating to me.”
Eunice graduated from Star High School and moved to High Point in 1949. Ernest Dalton Leach was also from Star and he and Eunice were childhood sweethearts. They married on March 4, 1950, and settled down in High Point. Ernest (Ernie) worked steadily for the City and together they raised four daughters—Becki, Niki, Danni, and Lori— and bought a brick ranch-style house on Oakview Road.
She said that one of her favorite memories was that after supper, summer evenings were spent on the screened-in porch with family, listening to the crickets as the setting sun cast golden shadows across the dark green grass of their yard.
Eunice loved a good laugh and she enjoyed board games and cards. You could tell when she was about to use all of her letters in Scrabble—a 50-point bonus-- because she got this twinkle in her eyes, looked right at you with a subtle mischievous smile, and would say, “Watch this…”
She was fond of those times on Oakview Road and was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. After, her husband and best friend, Ernie, died in May 2009, she remained in the house until 2018, when she was brought into the home and loving care of her daughter, Niki McGuire in Ruffin. There, she was back in a bustling household. Playing board games, watching her great-grandson, Declan grow up, and trading humor with Niki’s husband, Jerry.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, John and VIrginia Yarborough Davis; brother George Davis; sisters Johnsie Britt and Marjorie Chilton; sister-in-law Peggy Nance; sons-in-law, Larry Hicks and Butch Brooks.
She is survived by daughters Becki Hicks, Niki McGuire and husband Jerry, Danni Brooks, and Lori and
husband Les Hamashima; grandchildren Jennifer Hicks Vincent, Jonathan Hicks, Kevin McGuire, Ernie Brooks, Andy Brooks, Grace Hamashima, Sam Hamashima, and Ellie Hamashima; and great-grandchildren Hannah Hall, Rachel McGuire, Declan McGuire, Daisy Sides, Cameron Brooks, Morgan Brooks and Avery Brooks.
A Celebration of Eunice's life will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Sechrest Davis Funeral Home Chapel by Rev. Lee Eggers. Burial will follow in Floral Garden Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Saturday from 1 until 2 p.m.
The family thanks the staff at Brookdale Senior Living in Reidsville who provided the necessary specialized care for Eunice in her last months.
Contributions may be made to Ruffin United Methodist Church.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sechrestdavisphillipsavenue.com for the Leach family.
