Susan Diane Leach

Susan Diane Leach died January 21, 2024. She was born December 14, 1953, to Galen I. and Lois J. (Wardwell) Swift in Coldwater, Michigan. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in Organizational Psychology and Business Management. Her careers spanned fields in medicine, banking, finance, and public television. She retired in 2014 from Sandia National Laboratories working in business, project management, cyber security, foreign interactions, counter intelligence, and casual analysis.

Music was a lifelong love. Organ lessons began at age four. Other lessons included piano saxophone, and mountain dulcimer, and she dabbled in guitar, banjo, harmonica, recorder, and the ocarina.

Besides being an accomplished quilter, she also enjoyed designing her own patterns. Knitting and crocheting were favorite pastimes, as well as embroidery. She kept the family stocked with sweaters, scarves, stranded mittens, and socks (over 100 pairs!).

Creating was a joy. She was a woodworker, wood carver, and a mosaic artist having sold clocks and mirrors at a local gallery.

Loving nature, she enjoyed camping; hiking the mountain trails and fly-fishing. Having been raised near Lake Michigan and the sports of the northern lakes, water of any kind pulled her like a magnet.

Susan loved the written word, read voraciously, and collected children’s picture books.  She was endlessly curious and loved the immediacy of pulling out her cell phone to research whatever topic piqued her interest.

Susan always felt limited by time and that her very time was limited. She accomplished everything at the speed of light. She called herself a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” She actually accomplished more than she knew. However, what she labored over the longest, and what she angst over most, was her endless effort to be the best possible wife and mother to her beloved husband and adored son.

Susan is survived by husband Lance K. Leach, son Drew A. Leach; son, Drew A. Leach; siblings, Jeremy G. (Sue) Swift, Marlene K. (Walter) Blackwell, Carol Espitia, and her sister-of-the-heart, cousin Katherine Van Niman.

A Celebration of Life will be held by the family at a later time. 

Donations in Susan's name can be made to Animal Humane Association of New Mexico.