Sandra Franklin Leich

Sandra Franklin Leich

March 3, 1948 – July 29, 2026

Resident of Danville, California

In Loving Memory

Sandy Leich passed away peacefully, with family at her side, only a week after being diagnosed with cancer. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Douglas Leich, daughter Megan Leich and sister Renee Matter.

Sandy was born Sandra Lea West in Altadena, California to mother Virginia Alice Natalie and father Laurel Jeane West. She grew up, with four siblings, in Southern California, graduating from Temple City High School in 1966. As a student at Pasadena City College, she played clarinet and marched with the PCC band in the Rose Parade. She worked her way through college at Cal State L.A., with a B.A. (1971) in American Studies and M.A. (1973) in Special Education.

She married Douglas Leich in 1972 and the couple relocated to Northern California, first Berkeley in 1973, and then Danville in 1976, where they raised their daughter Megan.

Sandy loved outdoor adventures with family, such as backpacking in the Sierras, canoe camping on Northern California rivers, and snorkeling in Hawaii, with birding everywhere. Sandy and Megan became avid equestrian endurance riders, regularly enjoying the many trails of Mount Diablo State Park and, in 1999, completing the 100-mile – 1-day, Tevis Cup Western States Trail Ride together. Sandy’s world travels, usually with a wildlife emphasis, included Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Iceland, Great Britain, much of Western Europe, Turkey, southern Africa, China and New Zealand.

After a series of part-time jobs while raising Megan, Sandy and three partners formed Cooking for Company LLC as owner-operators of Danville’s Pascal French Oven bakery café for five years.

She enjoyed music, and made some of her own, singing in the Danville Congregational Church choir and in the Contra Costa Singing Messengers touring group and also playing in the church handbell choir. She loved to read, and treasured her book group.

Sandy loved gardening and was active in the University of California’s Contra Costa Master Gardeners program for 27 years, volunteering in the “Our Garden” community garden in Walnut Creek and participating in the annual Great Tomato Plant Sale. She loved tending her fruit trees, both at Our Garden and at home.

Her most recent new interest was in spinning and weaving, following Megan’s lead. This was a revival of an interest from Sandy’s youth.

Most of all, Sandy will be lovingly remembered for her gentle spirit, for her kindness, her sweetness and her intelligence.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Danville Congregational Church at 2 PM on October 10, 2026. Gifts in memory of Sandra Leich may be directed to the John Muir Regional Land Trust or to Monument Crisis Center.