Donald Lewis Leach, Jr. of Edna, Texas passed away on Friday, January 31, 2025, at the age of 70. He was born in Houston, Texas on December 26, 1954, to his Mother Dolores Dahl Leach and his late Father Donald Lewis Leach, Sr.

Growing up in Houston, Lewis lived life large, and fearlessly, right from the start. Never one to sit around idly as a child, his friends and neighbors would see him routinely popping wheelies on his motorcycle all the way down the neighborhood streets. With an unparalleled appetite for life, he soon graduated from the motorcycle to a fast yellow Chevy Camero and would be tough to catch-up with from then on.

Right after high school, Lewis sought work as an electrician. Seeking adventure, he took an electrician job abroad in Saudi Arabia. Able to finagle a ride on the Concord (which traveled faster than the speed of sound), Lewis began his first career as an electrician. For a multitude of reasons, the Saudi lifestyle did not fit his personality. When he was ready to come home from that adventure, he boarded the Concord again to speed his way home. Upon arrival in America, he kissed the ground and hugged the first policeman he saw — exclaiming he loved America and was thrilled to be back home.

After arriving back home, Lewis soon decided the city life was not for him. He moved into a ramshackle house in El Toro, Texas with no indoor plumbing and an out-house. At the time, he did not even have a truck and rode his old paint horse anywhere he wanted to go. All this did not deter Lewis; he was a man with a plan, and his plan was to work in the oil patch as a Landman. An entire book could be written about Lewis’ career as a Landman and all the fascinating people he met and great friends he made over the years.

Through determination, hard work and a quick wit as a Landman, Lewis was able to afford to transform the old house into a beautiful home. Each completed addition to the home came with a great story, and, through the years, the stories would continue to amaze and entertain. Since he loved music and playing the drums, he built a music studio and even had one of the Beach Boys come to El Toro and play keyboard as Lewis played the drums. Over the years, he shared his home with many wonderful people, and it was filled with love and laughter.

A true dreamer, he always had a new project up his sleeve and the concrete trucks were always rolling down the road to pour yet another building pad. When he completed one project, he was always dreaming up the next one. He also built countless houses on his property, dug several lakes (one named “Lake Louie”), created a lemur habitat, a chicken coop, and the fanciest vegetable garden lined with concrete walkways (didn’t we say he loved concrete!). Unquestionably, Lewis was a creative and imaginative man with a passion for building and for sharing it with his family and his many friends.

After he was mostly retired from his 30+ year career as a Landman, he began planning another concrete pour and ended up building an RV park. Once it was completed, his creative mind began thinking of the next building project. He decided to make his long-term dream of owning a restaurant a reality. The concrete trucks began rolling onto the property again and the El Toro Steakhouse was born. His legacy lives on!

Lewis will be missed dearly.

He is survived by his mother Dolores Dahl Leach, his brother, Larry Douglas Leach and his fiancé Raeanna Leigh Grizzle, his sister, Terriann Trostle and her husband Jon Kim Trostle, along with nieces and nephews Bobby Leach and his fiancé Ashley Cruise and son Ronan, Jessica Leach and Antonio Munoz, Scott Trostle, and Lewis’ ex-wife Pollyanna Itz, her grandkids and family, Lewis’ extended family, and dear friends.

Memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 12 p.m., in the Oaklawn Funeral Home Chapel, Pastor Wayne Eberly officiating.