Martha Councill Leak

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Christ Episcopal Church, 120 E. Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC. A reception will follow the service at the church. Interment in the Christ Church columbarium will be a private event for the family.

Martha was born on March 17, 1934, in Asheville, NC and grew up in Boone, NC. She graduated from Duke University in 1956 with a degree in Education. She was a member of the ZTA Sorority at Duke, and she made her Debut in Raleigh in 1953.

While at Duke she met the love of her life, Bob Leak, Sr. They were married in 1956 and enjoyed 69 wonderful years together filled with family, travel, career, church and philanthropy. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family at Litchfield Beach, SC, Bald Head Island, NC and in her home in Raleigh.

Martha started her career as a classroom teacher in Knoxville, Tennessee. She and Bob briefly resided in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she worked with oil companies hand lettering oil field maps. Upon returning to Raleigh in 1959, she took a break from her career to focus on raising her two sons. After a move to Columbia SC, she resumed her career at South Carolina National Bank where she served as a VP in the bank’s training department. When she returned to Raleigh in 1985, she went to work at CP&L/Progress Energy, ultimately becoming a VP in the HR Department and enjoying a 17-year career until retiring in 2003.

A long-time member of Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Raleigh, Martha served in several leadership roles. She was President of the Altar Guild and served as Senior Warden of the Vestry. She was a long-time member of the Junior League of Raleigh, serving as President in 1973-74. She went on to serve as a region director of the national Junior League in 1975. Martha was a patron of the Raleigh Ballet and a strong supporter of numerous organizations including Wake Relief and Hope Reins. She also served in several community leadership roles at the Cypress of Raleigh.

Martha is survived by her two sons, Robert E. Leak, Jr. (Karen) of Wilmington, NC and James Councill Leak (Lisa) of Charlotte, NC; and her brother, Fred Councill (Hope) of Chapel Hill, NC. In addition, Martha has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, all of whom adored their “DeDe”.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Leak, Sr. and her parents, James and Margaret Councill.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a charitable donation to either Wake Relief, Christ Episcopal Church-Raleigh, or a charity of your choice.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh is serving the Leak family.