He was born February 20, 1885 at Leightown, town of Stiles, the son of the late Joseph and Effie Couillard Leigh. His mother, born July 25, 1851 was the first white woman to be born on the Oconto River. Leightown was named for his father (grandfather) who started the settlement by erecting a sawmill, boarding house and grist mill on Little River. He married Nellie Walsh on October 24, 1911, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Oconto. The couple farmed in the town of Oconto until their retirement in 1956. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1961. In 1968 Mr. Leigh was given the Pioneer Farmer Award. He served on the Louisville school board for many years.
He is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, the Holy Name Society, Modern Woodmen, and an honorary member of the Oconto Council 1475 Knights of Columbus.
Surviving with his widow are four daughters, Mrs. Ernest (Arlene) Pries of Oconto, Mrs. Edward (Eleanor) Konop of Lena, Mrs. Richard (Dorothy) Dombroski of Oconto, and Mrs. Thomas (Pat) Degeneffe of Chilton, three sons, Wesley of Milwaukee, Chester Jr. of Kenosha, and John of Oconto, one sister, Mrs. Ruby Kermoff of Milwaukee, 25 grandchildren, and three great-grandsons. Several sisters and one brother preceded him in death.
A prayer service and Knights of Columbus rosary were held at the Pinkart funeral home, Monday evening. Final rites were conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph's church.