Julia Irene Gilliam Leach was called to her eternal Home by our Heavenly Father on February
11, 2024, at 5:45pm, while hospitalized at the Centra-Southside Community Hospital, Farmville,
Virginia. She was born March 19, 1934, in Cumberland, VA, to the late Samuel and Louise Robinson
Gilliam. Her maternal grandparents were the late Cupid and Alice Short Robinson; and her paternal
grandparents are the late Shepard and Mary Evans Gilliam.
Julia confessed Jesus Christ as her personal Savior at an early age, and was baptized, and joined
the Sharon Baptist Church. Although she moved to New Rochelle, New York in her mid-twenties,
where she attended the Union Baptist Church, she always maintained her membership at Sharon. She
supported her home church financially, and attended worship services whenever she came home. Upon
relocating to Farmville, VA in November, 2017, she attended Sharon’s worship services regularly, until
she went completely blind.
Julia received her education at the Sharon Elementary School in Cumberland County, but
because she became blind, she was unable to continue her education. She was blessed to receive partial
sight in one eye during her teenage years, which allowed her to gain employment at the Dunnington’s
Tobacco Factory and do domestic work, until she moved north for better working conditions and pay.
It was in New York where she was blessed to have transplant surgery that gave her sight from the early
1970’s until 2007. While in New Rochelle, NY, she worked as a domestic worker, and head salesperson
in her husband’s business, Bob’s Fish Market. She also worked as a home aid attendant before retiring.
Julia had a caring heart for all. She enjoyed listening to and consoling others as they shared
their problems and concerns about some issue; for which she would give her advice. She also enjoyed
cooking, telling others how to cook, and spending time talking with family and friends.
In addition to her parents and grandparents, Julia was preceded in death by: her beloved
husband, Robert “Bob” Leach; two sons, Lysander “Bobby” and Jerry Leach; one grandson, James
“Toney” Bailey; two brothers, Milton and Joseph “Joe” Cupid Gilliam. She leaves to cherish her
precious memory: a loving daughter and caregiver, Kern Renay Gilliam of Farmville, VA, loving
daughters Demetrius Leach, and Athenia L. Long of North Carolina; one devoted grandson, Robert
“Rob/Junior” Leach, and four grandsons, David, Michael, Jonathan and Donte’ Leach and one
granddaughter Sonya Leach, all of New York; one granddaughter, Barbara Leach Gilliam, and one
grandson Devin Moore of VA; and one granddaughter Lonai Leach of North Carolina; three loving
and supportive sisters, Roberta G. Ferguson and Barbara Gilliam of Farmville, VA, and Joyce Gilliam
of Neptune, N.J.; one loving and attentive brother, Samuel “Bug” Gilliam of Farmville, VA; three
devoted nieces, Yetta Gilliam of Richmond, VA, Karen L. Wilson, New Port News, VA and Janice L.
Foster (Glynn) of Hampton, VA; and one devoted nephew/son, who she called on often, Keith Gilliam
(Priscilla), of Farmville, VA; one great nephew, Kenny Perry, who she always look forward to his visits
and she always asked about how he was doing; and two great-great nephews, Katron and Kheaton
Lynch of Farmville, VA (Katron always fixed her electronic devices and Kheaton would carry on
lengthy conversations during their visits. She would always ask her daughter, or her sister Ro, ‘how the
boys were doing’); two sisters-in-law, Dorothy ”Dot Lee” Gilliam of Farmville, VA and Emma Leach
of Baltimore, MD; one aunt, Dorothy D. Robinson of Farmville, VA; and a host of great grandchildren,
nieces, nephews, cousins, (one, Alice Robinson, of Philadelphia, PA, who would call her every Sunday
to check on her); and friends (one very good friend, Fran Wood, who made sure she had her medicine
and picked other items she needed, and would just check with her every day, while she was in New
Rochelle, NY).