Alva "Al" Gene Leichliter

Alva Gene Leichliter, of Laurinburg, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 27, after a brief illness. He was just shy of his 98th birthday.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Roma Cooper Leichliter and his second wife Vivian Stuckey Leichliter. He is survived by three daughters; Ellen Leichliter of Aberdeen, Mary Anne Leichliter-Rice of Garner, Susan Leichliter of Chapel Hill, one granddaughter, Jade Rice of Raleigh, and one grandson, Emad Ibrahim of Lancaster, PA. He is also survived by two step-children; Joy (David) Driggers of Laurinburg, and Bryan (Tracy) Stuckey of Aberdeen. He was loved and cared for by many special friends, such as the Hughes family (Dan, Lee Ann, Breanna, and Danny) and had a wonderful extended family, too numerous to name.

Those who knew him were always amazed by his boundless energy, sharp mind, and keen observation skills. He was known to be quite the prankster throughout his life and enjoyed a good joke and a laugh. He was born in Milford, NJ in 1922, but spent much of his childhood in Upper Black Eddy, PA. He was always up for any adventure, even during his early years. He joined the US Army as a young man and proudly served his country, fighting in both World War II and the Korean War. He retired from the Army after serving nearly twenty years and, in 1967, happily settled down with his family in Laurinburg.

He was a well respected member of the Laurinburg City Police Department known for his compassionate demeanor. Despite retiring from the force in 1985, he remained an active member of the retired law enforcement community. He was a proud veteran and a longstanding member of the American Legion, the VFW, and various retired military and law enforcement organizations. He was a member of the Growing Friendship Club.

He was a faithful and dedicated member of Central United Methodist Church in East Laurinburg, where he was a choir member, assistant Sunday School Teacher for the men’s class, Happy Methodist senior group participant, member of the United Methodist Men organization, and helped with church plate fundraising activities. He was a long-time participant at the Scotland Memorial Cardio Rehab unit where he enjoyed exercising under the watchful eye of a dedicated team who truly cared about him. He loved traveling, socializing with family and friends, and was always the first to arrive, whether it be church, exercise class, or his morning meetup coffee group. He adored watching Lawrence Welk every Saturday night, going to the NC State Fair annually, and eating ice cream. He jumped at the chance to play his harmonica for nearly any occasion, and was particularly fond of patriotic tunes. He was dearly loved by many and will be sorely missed. 

An outdoor memorial service will be held at Central United Methodist Church in East Laurinburg, NC, (corner of Commonwealth St and 2nd St) on Sunday, November 1, at 12:30 pm. The service will be held in the church parking lot and we ask that attendees remain in their cars. There will be the option to listen on your radio by tuning in to FM 89.9.    Burial is planned for a future date at the Arlington National Cemetery.

The family asks that donations be made to Central United Methodist Church. The family also requests that you please consider sending a live plant or planting a tree as a lasting memory. 

COVID-19 Mandates requires facial mask, social distancing and limited attendance for all services.

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