Medford Memory “Mem” Leake

Medford Memory “Mem” Leake



Tupelo- Medford Memory “Mem” Leake, 90, died at home November 25, 2018 after a year-long battle with lung cancer. His three loving children were with him.

Born June 12, 1928, Leake hailed from a long line of proud Tupelo natives, among them his wife Ann Gilpin Leake, parents Medford Ernest and Janye Strain Leake, his wife’s parents William Thomas and Mildred McCullough Gilpin and his sister-in-law Jane Gilpin Scarborough Boyd. His paternal grandparents Memory Ernest and Emma Hunter Leake and maternal grandparents Clark Raymond and Musette Biggs Strain spent most of their lives in Tupelo.

As a teen, Mem represented Tupelo at the YMCA national convention in 1944 in Atlantic City, N.J. In 1945, he started at center on Tupelo’s Big Eight Championship football team, which was undefeated in eleven games. He was a great believer in the Boy Scouts of America, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout with Bronze, Gold, and Silver Palms. He served as Junior Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 12 and Scoutmaster at Boy Scout summer camp and remained a steadfast supporter of scouting throughout his life.

Mr. Leake graduated from Duke University in 1950 with a degree in business and economics. He was a member and officer of Sigma Chi fraternity. Mem served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, where he was an investigator in the Office of Special Investigations in Texas, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Labrador, Greenland, and New York City. While stationed at Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles, Mem secured a brief leave to marry Ann Gilpin (Leake) in 1952, to whom he was devoted until her death in 2007.

After military service, Mem joined Leake and Goodlett, Inc. as Vice President, and enjoyed working with his grandfather, father, two uncles and brother in the family business. During his tenure, he was elected Vice President of the Mississippi Retail Lumber Dealers Association. In 1969, he joined Steel City Lumber Company in Birmingham, Alabama, and served that company as top salesman, President and Chairman of the Board. Leake retired from Steel City in 2002, having worked in the forest products industry for over 50 years.

An ardent believer in community service, Mem held numerous volunteer positions during his adult life. At First United Methodist Church he was a choir member, Sunday school teacher, board member, usher, and youth leader. He served on the Boards of many local organizations: Tupelo Rotary Club (President); Tupelo Touchdown Club (President); Mississippi Fair and Dairy Show; Friends of the Lee County Library; Tupelo Art Gallery; and United Methodist Senior Services. Leake was chairman of the Tupelo Community Chest for the last two years of its operation, and with Julius Berry, “Red” Rasberry, George McLean and Jack Reed, Sr., was instrumental in forming Lee United Neighbors (later United Way), and served as its first campaign chairman. Leake was named its “Young Man of the Year” in 1962. Between 1974 and 2013, Mr. Leake served on the boards of Community Federal Savings & Loan Association (Chairman), Community Federal Savings Bank, and the Tupelo Board of Merchants and Farmers Bank. Leake was a founding member of the Lee County Historical Committee, which published several books dedicated to the preservation of the history of Tupelo and Lee County.

An avid reader, Mem always read two books concurrently; one fiction (he called these “want to read”) and a non-fiction (“should read”). During the years after his wife Ann lost her sight, he read aloud to her by the hour, and took special satisfaction in maintaining a log of the books they read together, totaling 745 from 1986 until her death in 2007. He loved to collect and catalogue photographs, matchbooks, sporting event tickets, coins, rocks and fossils. His favorite book, no doubt, was the autobiography he penned for his children, from which they read aloud to him during his final days.

Mem was the quintessential Southern gentleman, and he loved and was loved by many. His genuine smile, kindness and generosity made an indelible impression on both new acquaintances and life-long friends. His trademark thoughtful gesture was to send birthday cards to new friends and loved ones. Mem was a wonderful storyteller, and no one enjoyed his stories more than he did. His favorite opening line was “I’m sure you’ve heard this story before but…”.

Mr. Leake was predeceased by his wife of 55 years, Ann Gilpin Leake. He is survived by his three children, Medford Memory Leake, Jr., of Tupelo; James Thomas Leake (Charlotte Bowles) of Newnan, Georgia; Jane Katherine Leake Friestad (Gary) of Smyrna, Georgia; grandchildren James Thomas Leake, Jr. and Matthew Leake Friestad; one step-grandson Bonnor Reese Hankins; a brother Robert Clark Leake; nephews Robert Clark Leake, Jr. (Rachel) and Lindsey Spight Leake (Tracy), Christopher Blake Scarborough (Diane); niece Susan Scarborough Rose (George); four great nieces and nephews; and sister-in-law Jane Gilpin Scarborough Boyd (Jerry). Leake would like to express his love and gratitude for the special friendship of first cousins Sue Thomas Washburn (Heywood) and the late Molly Thomas Thompson.

Visitation will be 10 a.m. until service time Saturday December 1, 2018 at W. E. Pegues, Tupelo.

Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday December 1, 2018 at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues. Burial to follow at Glenwood Cemetery. W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.

Honorary pallbearers are: Billy Lyle, Pat Ogletree, and the late Jimmie Caldwell, Alice Hunter Patterson, Jack Ritter, Josephine Caldwell, and John Parry.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: United Methodist Senior Services (109 South Broadway Street, Tupelo, 38804); Lee County Library (219 North Madison Street, Tupelo, 38804); Oren Dunn Museum (P.O. Box 2674, Tupelo, 38803); or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Expressions of sympathy may be left at www.peguesfuneralhome.com .