Wilfred Leach was an ENT surgeon in St Louis, Missouri, USA. He was born on 9 January 1929 in Rochdale, the son of Harvey Leach and Chrystal Leach née Lord. He was educated at Norden Church of England School and Rochdale Municipal High School. From 1947 to 1949 he carried out his National Service. He then went to Downing College, Cambridge and qualified in 1956. He was a house surgeon at St Thomas’ Hospital from 1955 to 1956 and then a prosector in the department of anatomy from 1957 to 1958. During his training, he was particularly influenced by Sir Geoffrey Bateman at St Thomas’, Myles Formby at University College Hospital and Sir Terence Cawthorne at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases. He emigrated to the United States. In the mid 1960's he was a fellow at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis. He later became an assistant professor and subsequently professor at the St Louis University School of Medicine. He was a member of the St Louis Medical Society. Outside medicine, he enjoyed skiing and photography. He died on 20 March 2000 at the age of 71. An MD scholarship at St Louis University was established in his name.