Richard McLeod (Dick) Leathers

Richard McLeod (Dick) Leathers passed away on July 11, 2026. He was born to Theo and Dick Leathers on June 1, 1935, in Lincoln England. After graduating from boarding school and completing a mechanical engineering apprenticeship he served in the British Army. Upon his return to civilian life, he rejoined his company serving on their overseas staff installing turbo machinery on several continents. In 1961, he accepted a position to manage the company’s service in the US. He ultimately went into sales, a career that he followed throughout the rest of his professional life.

He moved to Atlanta in 1963 where he met and married his wife Rita and where their two sons, David and Mike, were born. In 1969 the family moved to Houston, where he continued his sales engineering career providing ventilation systems to the offshore oil and gas and natural gas pipeline industries.

He was an elder and member of Grace Presbyterian Church where, for several years, he chaired their Mission program. He was involved in several non-profits, serving on several of their boards. He was a keen proponent of microfinance where small loans to the people living in poverty around the world provide a platform from which to move out of poverty. Rita and he were active in the support of this ministry through their work with Opportunities International.

Dick played club rugby and field hockey in his younger years and later enjoyed playing tennis and golf.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Rita, and survived by his sons David and wife Gisette of Houston and Mike of Los Angeles, three grandchildren William, Elliott and Wyatt, and by his sister Jane and her husband Olav and their children of Okotoks Alberta Canada.

Friends are invited to a memorial service on July 31, 2026, at 11:00 am at Grace Presbyterian Church 10221 Ella Lee Lane.

Reflecting on his life, Dick would want to tell us, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” A sentiment, he unashamedly borrowed from a good friend…