Benton Ray Leach

High Point, NC – Benton “Ben” R. Leach, 90 passed away at Pennybyrn on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.  Benton was active at Pennybyrn since he became a resident in 2008.  He had taken part in drafting the Bylaws for the Pennybyrn Residents Association and served on its Residents Council several times.  He will be truly missed by the staff and residents.

Ben was born in Front Royal, VA on October 21, 1930, the son of the late Alfred and Canby Ray Leach.  The Leach ancestors were Virginians for many generations, to before Valentine Leach, a Sergeant in the Virginia Militia in the Revolution.  Ben graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (now VA Tech) with a BS in Chemistry in 1952.  He spent two years in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps, retiring as a First Lt.

In January 1955 he went to work for the Naugatuck Chemical Division of US Rubber Company in Naugatuck, CT.  After 10 years in Research & Development where he was co-author of one US patent, he was moved to production management at the synthetic rubber plant in Naugatuck.  He was appointed Factory Manager of the polymer plant in Painesville, OH in 1971.  In 1977, he was called back to headquarters as Director of Manufacturing with responsibility for five domestic manufacturing locations.  With the increasing environmental concerns, in 1979 he was appointed to the newly created job of Director of Environmental Affairs.   Ben retired from Uniroyal Chemical Company in January 1977 after 42 years of service in various roles.

In 1955, Ben married Elizabeth H. Cox of Staten Island, NY and established a home in Naugatuck, CT.  Their children are Jeffrey (wife Cindy) of Morristown, NJ and Susan, now deceased.  Jeffrey has four children.  Elizabeth died in 1999.  In 2001, Ben married Dorothy Braren of Southbury, CT.  In 2008, Dorothy and Ben moved to Pennybyrn in High Point, NC.  Dorothy passed away on March 3, 2020.

Donations in lieu of flowers to Pennybyrn Resident Care Fund, 109 Penny Road, High Point, NC 27260.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.cumbyfuneral.com  Cumby Family Funeral Service in High Point is serving the family.

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