From Salineville classrooms to 104 years of memories: Verda Leek celebrates a century of life
A lifetime dedicated to education, family and keeping up with the times
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Verda Leek celebrated her 104th birthday Oct. 18.
Born Oct. 18, 1922, in East Liverpool, Leek has witnessed more than a century of changes in the world around her. Her life has spanned generations, historical events, and countless changes in the way people live.
Education played an important role in Leek's life. A graduate of Kent State University, she began her teaching career in 1957. During her 26 years as a business education teacher, she taught at United Local Schools, Salineville High School, and Southern Local High School, retiring in 1983.
Her classes included typing, shorthand, bookkeeping, accounting, and other business subjects. Through her years in the classroom, she helped prepare generations of students with practical skills that would serve them in their future careers.
Leek was married to Thomas Leek, who also devoted his career to education. Thomas served as a coach, teacher, principal, and eventually superintendent of Southern Local Schools. Together, they shared 58 years of marriage and made their home in Salineville, where they raised their three sons: Tom, Tim and Terry.
Their family has continued to grow through the years and now includes seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Today, Leek resides in the independent living community at Ormond in the Pines in Ormond Beach, Florida. At 104, she remains fairly independent and enjoys visiting and carrying on conversations with family and friends. Known for her wonderful sense of humor, she still enjoys playing cards, participating in bingo, and spending time with her family.
Perhaps one of the most interesting things about Leek is her willingness to embrace modern technology. At 104 years old, she uses an iPhone to send and receive text messages with her family and is comfortable navigating the internet. Having gone from the days of typewriters and shorthand in the classroom to today's smartphones and digital technology, she has certainly kept up with the times.