Christopher Harold Leech

Chris is survived by his wife, Tabitha; two daughters, Eva (11) and Cora (2); his mother, Lynette Leech; sister and brother-in-law, Marie and John Santamour, and their three children, Emily, Sydney, and Michael; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Chris is preceded in death by his father, William Leech, who died the same way just seven months ago. They are no doubt together yelling “Roll Tide” right now in great anticipation of the National Championship football game being played this week between Alabama and Ohio State.

Chris was a Senior Vice President at Regions Bank, where he worked for almost 27 years. He began as a teller in a branch in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in May 1994 while attending college at the University of Alabama. He held multiple leadership, executive, and mentorship roles throughout his successful career.

As this obituary began to be written, the song “I’ll Be Seeing You” as sung by Billie Holiday came on in the background. It could not have been a more fitting song. For anyone who had the pleasure to know Chris, we will be seeing him "in all the old familiar places” for many years to come. His personality was such a force that commanded attention and earned unbelievable dedication and loyalty from family, friends, and colleagues.

Whether you knew Chris from years ago or only had recently met him, the reality is that you KNEW Chris. He wanted to have that personal connection with everyone and people gravitated to him like a sun in a solar system because of it.

Chris was the driving force of so many of the friendship connections reading this. How many times did he bring different groups of friends together? Whether it was old high school and college friends, work colleagues, or the large group of people he tailgated with on football Saturdays in Tuscaloosa, Chris had a way of convincing people that the more truly was the merrier.

While he was a person who facilitated new friendships, Chris was sure to maintain old ones. He was a life-long friend, the kind of man who made people feel important. These friends truly became family.

In his work life, Chris was a consummate and focused professional. The loyalty he inspired had a way of making his teams far exceed expectations. He is known and respected across the bank and has been known to describe himself as bleeding Regions green.

The passion Chris had for life was contagious and he was constantly focused on how to bring more fun to us. He could be boisterous and loud with an unrealistic perspective that he somehow was not being heard by those across the room. His passion for sports, in particular those associated with the University of Alabama was intense. He was so very excited about the National Championship and was on pins and needles since he heard there was a chance that Jaylen Waddle may be back on the field for the game, saying “I’m going to lose it if Waddle comes out to play Monday-- can you imagine?!?! The team is going to go crazy!”

Chris was the guy to make sure there was a very large and loud speaker with plenty of music available whether for tailgates or for the annual father/daughter Indian Princess campout trips he participated in with his oldest daughter, Eva. He was an organizer of cornhole tournaments and Mardi Gras weekends in Orange Beach, Ala.

Chris had a precious relationship with his daughters, always the sideline coach cheering on Eva whether it was for soccer, tennis, or that “A” she scored on the math test she had been nervous about. Cora is his mini me in personality and spunk and she was and is a Daddy's girl through and through.

The greatest of all though is that Chris was a pain in the neck and loving husband, a phenomenal and devoted father to his two beautiful girls, and a loyal and caring son and brother. All of his girls long for the day they can hear his laugh again in Heaven. And who knows what Chris and his father, Bill, will get into while we wait for that reunion.

Visitation for Chris will be held from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Indian Springs, Alabama on Tuesday, January 12, 2021. The Mass of Christian Burial will begin promptly at 10 a.m. at the church. Burial will follow at Southern Heritage Cemetery in Pelham, Alabama.

Masks will be required at the visitation and Mass on Tuesday, and we ask that everyone please be mindful that we have family and close friends who are at high risk to COVID exposure so please follow safety guidelines.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Oak Mountain Missions will be appreciated. Ensuring families had food on their tables was a cause that Chris was concerned about, given the hardships so many have experienced due to COVID.