John William "Billy" Leitch III, 80, of Owings passed away January 29, 2014 at Solomons Nursing Center. He was born May 20, 1933 in Prince Frederick to John William, Jr. and Grace Louise (Ward) Leitch.

Billy was raised in Huntingtown and graduated from Calvert High School in 1950. He then attended St. James Preparatory School in Hagerstown, MD in 1951, and attended the University of Maryland in College Park for two years before being drafted into the United States Army in 1953. After two years of service, he was honorably discharged and returned to the University of Maryland, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1955.

Billy married Beverly Jane Whittington in November 1955, and they made their home on the family farm in Owings.

He was employed by Southern Maryland Oil as a plant manager, retiring in 1997 after 34 years.

Billy also managed and worked the family farms in Owings and Huntingtown. He was a member of the Calvert County Farm Bureau, the Stallings-Williams American Legion Post 206 in Chesapeake Beach and All Saints Episcopal Church in Sunderland, where he served on the Vestry and Cemetery committees and was also an usher.

Billy served as Chairman of the Calvert County Property Tax Assessment Appeal Board from 1970-1976. In his leisure time, Billy enjoyed farming, upland and waterfowl hunting and was an avid sports fan.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife Beverly Whittington Leitch, who passed away February 9, 1999.

Billy is survived by children Lori Prevost of Huntingtown, Marcia Leitch of Bethesda, Karen Katsiyiannis of Temecula, CA, and John Whittington Leitch of Owings. Also surviving are a sister Jane Leitch of Huntingtown, grandchildren Mallory Reading, Christina, Thomas and Beverly Katsiyiannis, and a great-grandson Brady Reading.

Arrangements provided by Rausch Funeral Home.