Leak retires after 60 years

Essie Mae Leak received an engraved rocking chair as one of her retirement gifts.

Essie Mae Leak, executive secretary of Region 7 Education Service Center, was honored at a retirement reception last Thursday with more than 200 guests at the Region 7 ESC Pecan Room.

Current and retired employees, including with retired executive director, Dr. Eddie Little, congratulated Leak on the accomplishment.

Leak was joined by her five children - Linda Birdwell, Jack D. Leak, Pat Davis, Carol Smith, Bill Leak, seven grandchildren - Jim Davis, Jeanette Cobb, Suzanne Wierwille, Steven Bair, Skyler Leak, Jaysen Leak, Jack D. Leak, Jr., and seven great-grandchildren - Robyn Cobb, Brian Cobb, Victoria Leak, Mary Catherine Leak, Elizabeth Leak, Macy Wierwille, Blake Wierwille.

Leak served for over 20 years with the East Texas Bureau of Visual Education, a film library cooperative that served 35 public school districts and was housed in the Kilgore College Vocational Building. When the 59th Legislature authorized 20 media centers, the East Texas Bureau of Visual Education was chosen to house Region 7 Education Service Center.

At that time, she became a secretary at Region 7 Education Service Center. Leak served as the executive secretary for all four Region 7 Executive Directors, Von Rhea Beane (1967-1978), Don Peters (1978-1993), Dr. Eddie Little (1993-2002), and Elizabeth Abernethy (2002-Present).

Leak was presented an engraved rocking chair by the Region 7 Association of Educational Office Personnel (AEOP), an organization that she started at Region 7 many years ago.