Emma Smith Leach, 100½, passed away peacefully at 5:10 a.m. on July 25, 2026, in Greenville, South Carolina. Born February 21, 1926, in Lookout, Kentucky, Emma lived a remarkable century defined by faith, family, service, resilience, and an abiding love for people.

After high school, Emma set out for Cincinnati, where she worked at Heekin Can Company and later at Wright Aeronautical and the Shell Plant in Wilder, Kentucky, inspecting bombshells during the closing years of World War II. Her beautiful voice soon led to an unexpected adventure in radio broadcasting. After auditioning in Cincinnati, she and a friend joined as a singing duet in the Bradley Kincaid Show starring Cowboy Copas. They also sang backup harmony on several of Cowboy Copas’s records. Though other contracts awaited at the end of the tour, Emma chose instead the life that would become the heart of her story: continuing her education, building a home, and marrying the love of her life, Arnold V. Leach.

The newlyweds began married life in New York City, where Emma worked near Wall Street while Arnold attended Officer Candidate School. Together they enjoyed Broadway plays, Radio City Music Hall, Coney Island, the Statue of Liberty, and many of the wonders of the “Big Apple.” Their greatest blessings came soon after with the birth of their son, Terry, and later daughter, Sharlotte.

Emma’s Christian faith was the foundation of her life. She came to know Jesus Christ personally as a 23-year old young woman, an experience she called the single greatest event of her life. Emma and Arnold entered Lexington Baptist College in Lexington, Kentucky, and began a ministry that spanned two decades. They served churches in Morehead and South Irvine, Kentucky, and later at Liberty Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio, where the congregation grew from approximately 100 to nearly 900 members during their pastoral care.

A gifted musician, Emma used her voice and piano to serve the Lord. She sang at Christian conventions, Bible conferences, churches, weddings, and funerals; played piano; trained choirs; taught voice lessons; counseled; led Bible studies; and faithfully visited others in their homes. Though encouraged to pursue opera, she chose to devote her musical gifts to glorifying God.

Following Arnold’s death in December 1973, Emma faced profound loss and difficult years with characteristic courage and faith. She supported herself through many roles, including nursing, bookkeeping, retail sales and management, real estate, teaching, clerical work, and property management. Her interest in helping others led her to study counseling, psychology, ethics, philosophy, and teaching. She attended Hardin-Simmons University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas. Among her treasured memories was singing Handel’s Messiah with the seminary choir.

Emma’s compassionate nature found expression in extensive volunteer service. She served as a volunteer chaplain at High Plains Hospital in New Mexico, held blood-pressure clinics for the American Red Cross, and volunteered with the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association. In Fairfield, California, she served for four years as a volunteer chaplain and counselor at Travis Air Force Base Hospital. She also looked forward to serving through hospice spiritual counseling on California’s Central Coast.

She traveled widely throughout her life, visiting all but three states, journeying from Canada to Mexico and Hawaii, and finding special joy in New York, Washington, D.C., Yellowstone National Park, and the Grand Tetons. She lived in Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Minnesota, New Mexico, California, and South Carolina. Her many interests included painting in oil and watercolor, singing, reading, cooking, computer use, visiting art museums, and playing bridge, chess, crossword puzzles, puzzles, Scrabble, and Rummikub—her absolute favorite.

Emma never met a stranger and freely opened her heart to those around her. Her family was her greatest joy, along with sharing the Gospel and encouraging others in faith. She will be remembered for her warmth, wisdom, imagination, love of storytelling, and the enduring kindness that made everyone feel welcome.

Emma was preceded in death by her parents, Fred F. Smith and Mae Smith Quisenberry; her ten beloved brothers and sisters (Mitchell, Alice Bartley, Isaac, Mamie, JT, Jim, Fred Jr, Ruth Osborne, Bert, and Okey); and her husband, Pastor Arnold V. Leach, who died in 1973.

She is survived by her son, Terry (Janice) Leach; her daughter, Sharlotte (Michael) McGary; her grandchildren, Michael McGary, Jonathan McGary, James McGary, Patrick McGary, Terry Leach II, and Daniel Leach, and their spouses; 16 cherished great-grandchildren; and countless nieces and nephews.

Emma will be laid to rest beside Arnold at Lovely & Amburgey Cemetery in Jeffersonville, Kentucky. Her son, Terry W. Leach, will officiate the funeral and graveside services, as he did for his father in 1973. Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 4th at Herald & Stewart Home For Funerals.  Visitation will be Monday, August 3rd from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Herald & Stewart.  Her Grandsons will be her Pallbearers.

Services entrusted to the care of Herald & Stewart Home For Funerals, 1002 Woodford Drive, Mt. Sterling, KY  40353