[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E79-E80]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE LIFE OF EDWIN RANDOLPH ``RANDY'' LEACH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. H. MORGAN GRIFFITH

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 31, 2025

  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Edwin Randolph 
``Randy'' Leach, who passed away on January 12th at the age of 68. 
Randy is remembered for his sound legal mind and dedicating a great 
legal career in the Roanoke Valley.
  The birth of Randy Leach occurred in Raleigh, North Carolina, on 
November 27, 1956.

[[Page E80]]

Following his childhood and adolescent years in North Carolina, Mr. 
Leach attended academic institutions in Virginia. He earned a B.A. from 
Hampden-Sydney College before graduating from the renowned law school 
at William & Mary.
  A career devoted to public service soon followed. Randy moved to the 
City of Roanoke to begin a career as a public defender.
  Later, he joined the Roanoke County Commonwealth Attorney's office. 
For 14 years, he served as Chief Assistant Commonwealth Attorney.
  In 2002, the citizens of Roanoke County placed their trust in Randy 
Leach to serve the County and elected him as Commonwealth Attorney.
  Appreciated by many, he ran for re-election four times and ran 
unopposed in each of those campaigns. He retired from his distinguished 
role as a constitutional officer in 2019.
  As a practicing attorney in the Roanoke Valley during the same time, 
I had the pleasure of working with Randy throughout his tenure in the 
Commonwealth Attorney's office. I had many cases in Roanoke County and 
often Randy would be the prosecutor in a case I was defending.
  Randy also regularly frequented Mac & Bob's restaurant, a popular 
site in Salem, Virginia, and was beloved there by the regulars.
  Randy Leach is preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Jimmie Ruth 
Leach. He leaves behind his older brother, Ken Leach; nieces, Leslie 
Wall (Chad), Lisa Yancy, and Eden Gauss (Jai); younger brother, Keith 
Leach (Janis); and nephews, Michael, (Meghan), and Casey.
  Randy Leach was a dedicated lawyer whose service and exceptional 
legal talents on behalf of Roanoke County was appreciated by many. He 
will be sorely missed by his family, colleagues, friends and the 
Roanoke Valley community.

                          ____________________