William J. Leaga

William John Leaga, age 78, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2026. He was born on March 8, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan. On August 6, 1971, Bill married the love of his life, Terry Shelley, and together they shared more than 54 years of marriage filled with laughter, love, and dedication to their family. Bill was a proud and loving father to his two daughters, Kristen (Chris) Magers and Melanie (Rob Herman) Leaga. He treasured the time with his grandchildren, Lauren Englehardt, Mila Herman, Kinsley Herman, Duncan Magers, Reese Magers, and Logan Magers. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Doug (Diane) Shelley; his brother, William Krieg; and many loving nieces and nephews.

Bill grew up in Allen Park and was a graduate of Cabrini High School, class of 1966. Following graduation he attended Eastern Michigan University. He worked at Ford Motor Company for 35 years in the Customer Service Division. Bill worked in sales, marketing and new business planning in Power Products Operations, where he advanced to the management level. While in marketing he enjoyed being a speech writer and meeting planner, getting to arrange and work at national distributor meetings in such special locations as St. Thomas, Vancouver, Las Vegas, Marco Island, San Diego, Tucson and others. Bill then moved to the Extended Service Plan Department working as a Field Operations Coordinator and Programs Manager.

Bill leaves behind a legacy of quick wit and humor that brought laughter and smiles to everyone around him. His deep love and unwavering commitment to his family also extended into the community through his generous support of causes and charities that were close to his heart. Bill and Terry were volunteers for 30 years for CATCH, Sparky Anderson’s Charity for Children. They were also sports enthusiasts, having season packages for the Detroit Tigers for several years as well as the WNBA Detroit Shock. Bill also had an extensive sports memorabilia collection including items autographed by Ty Cobb, Al Kaline, Barry Sanders, Miguel Cabrera, and many of the Tigers from the 1968 and the 1984 World Series.

Bill dedicated much of his spare time to coaching and mentoring young athletes. He coached junior high school football in Allen Park and Troy, girls junior high school and AAU basketball in Livonia, and girls softball through the Livonia Parks and Recreation program. He took great pride in supporting and encouraging the many young people whose lives he impacted through sports.

Bill also enjoyed traveling with his wife, Terry, especially to destinations where they could share their love of golf and experience courses across the country. Together, they spent winters at their condominium in Arizona, where they enjoyed golfing year-round. In addition to their love of sports and travel, Bill and Terry cherished attending plays and concerts at venues throughout both Michigan and Arizona.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at Casterline Funeral Home, 122 West Dunlap, Northville. The times are still being determined. Please check back for an update.

In lieu of flowers, contributions would be appreciated to Leader Dogs for the Blind, 1039 S. Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48307 or Sparky Anderson’s CATCH Charity for Children, 3011 West Grand Boulevard, Suite 223, Detroit, Michigan 48202.