Audrey “Mitzie” Leach
Audrey “Mitzie” Leach, 97, of Onaway, passed away peacefully at home Thursday, May 21, 2026.
Born in Onaway September 18, 1928, she was the daughter of Robert and Audrey (Thompson) Glasford. While her parents worked in Detroit, Mitzie was lovingly raised in Onaway by her grandparents, Grandpa Ed and Grandma Nellie Thompson, and she went on to graduate from Onaway High School in the Class of 1946.
After graduation, she moved to Detroit and worked alongside her mother as a switchboard operator. On July 2, 1948, she married Russell “Russ” L. Leach in Detroit. They made their home in Onaway, where Russ served as the city of Onaway’s water and street superintendent, and Mitzie worked as a police dispatcher for the Onaway Police Department while also devoting herself to her home and family.
Mitzie found great joy in sewing, quilting and shopping for fabric. She lovingly made pajamas for her grandchildren and for many of the neighborhood children, sharing her care in ways both thoughtful and practical. For a time, she was part of the quilting group that met each week at Trinity Lutheran Church. She also made firefighter quilts for many local firefighters and created others to be raffled for fire department fundraisers. In quieter moments, she enjoyed simple pleasures like word searches, crosswords and jigsaw puzzles.
Northern Michigan was always home in Mitzie’s heart, even though she spent a few early years in Detroit. She loved being outdoors, whether she was planting flowers around her home or watching the birds that gathered at her feeders. She also loved to travel and especially enjoyed the freedom of simply choosing a direction and seeing where the road would lead. Many of those adventures were shared with her daughter, Linda, and together they made memories across much of the United States. Of all the places she visited, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula remained the place she loved most.
Mitzie will be remembered for her gentle spirit, kind heart and the warmth she brought to those around her. She had a special tenderness for children and became “Mom” and “Grandma” to many of the neighborhood kids. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were especially dear to her, and she always took a sincere and loving interest in their lives. Humble and caring, Mitzie foun
She is lovingly survived by her daughter, Linda Leach of Onaway; her son, Don (Robin) Leach of Cheboygan; her grandchildren, Eric (Onna) Leach of Onaway, Mary (Alan) Canafax of Clarksville, Indiana and Elizabeth Norrick of Cheboygan; and her great-grandchildren, Cooper, Lucas, Jacob, Alexis, Ashlynn and Scarlett.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 53 years, Russell Leach, who passed away February 4, 2001; her sons, Kenneth and Russell; and her brother, Bob Glasford.
Mitzie’s family will receive friends at Chagnon Funeral Home Saturday, June 13, from 1 p.m. until the memorial service begins at 2 p.m. Those who wish to honor Mitzie’s memory may consider a memorial contribution to the Onaway Ambulance Equipment Fund or the Onaway Historical Museum.
