William "Bill" Stuart Leake

William “Bill” Stuart Leake, Jr., 81, of Golden, CO passed away on December 10th at Lutheran Collier Hospice Center in Wheat Ridge, CO, after a brief illness, surrounded by friends and family. Bill’s life was firmly rooted in both his native North Carolina and his adoptive state of Colorado, where he lived for more than five decades. He will be missed by so many who loved Bill for maintaining his southern charm and accent, his deep appreciation for the West, and his charming jokes and one-liners. As much at ease on a country club golf course as at an Outer Banks shrimp boil, Bill’s wonderful qualities earned him many friends and close business relationships.

Bill was born to William Stuart Leake of Asbury and Mount Airy, NC and Fan Scales Leake of Sandy Ridge and Stoneville, NC, on December 5, 1942 at N.C. Baptist Hospital (now Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center) in Winston-Salem, NC. Bill spent his infancy in Stoneville, NC until his family moved to Richmond, VA when he was four. The family, now including Bill’s sister Susan Leake Jones (who passed away in 2015), returned to Winston-Salem in 1955. After graduating from R.J. Reynolds High School in 1961, where he served as the Senior Class Treasurer, Bill attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Earning a BA in Liberal Arts with a major in political science, graduating in 1965. Bill’s interest in civic engagement and debating politics continued throughout his life. As a proud member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, he forged lifelong connections with his brothers.

Although he diligently cultivated his North Carolina roots, previous visits to Colorado as a teenager drew Bill back to Colorado after his graduation and he found employment in the General Electric Lighting Division. His professional journey led him from G.E. to the ownership of Light Bulb Supply Company in 1975—a venture he and his wife, Paula, nurtured and grew until 2008.

On April 19, 1975, Bill married Paula Williamson of Marshall, MI. Together they built not only a wonderful family, but also a significant enterprise in the lighting industry in both Colorado and New Mexico. Bill and Paula specialized in lighting efficiency for existing commercial, institutional, and governmental facilities.

Bill was a member of many professional and civic organizations and served on the board of directors for the Colorado Apartment Association (now the Apartment Association of Metro Denver), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors (NAILD), and the City Club of Denver.

Bill is survived by his wife and two daughters: Elizabeth Chapman Leake Bacon (Matt) and Mary Catherine Leake Bonser (Matt) of Denver. Bill's legacy lives on in the hearts of those who were touched by his warmth, wisdom, and laughter, whether dining at the Cherry Cricket, playing golf in Denver or Gulf Shores, or regaling a crowd with his southern gentleman charm at My Brother’s Bar or the University Club.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on January 20, 2024. More information will be provided on the Caring Bridge site as we finalize plans. (https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billleake). Donations in Bill’s memory should be made to the charity of one’s choosing