Geoffrey Leech, a retired Canadian government geologist, died April 17, 2012, while walking in the woods. He was 93.
Leech graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1942, and then from Queens University, Ontario, with a master’s degree in 1943. He worked as a geologist for the International Nickel Co. until 1946, when he married and came to Princeton. He earned a Ph.D. in geology in 1949, and then joined the Geological Survey of Canada. He spent his entire government career at the “Survey,” later named the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. He retired in 1982.
Leech began in the field, studying and mapping. While he held director-level positions in his later career (and thus didn’t go into the field), he remained at heart a research scientist. He worked on scientific maps and papers until the end.
A highlight of his life was visiting the divergence of the eastern and western tectonic plates in Iceland. Prior to his death, he was planning on exploring several erratics he had found while walking on local trails. He remained active within his professional associations.
Predeceased in 2000 by his wife, Jean, Leech is survived by a daughter and three grandchildren.
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