Founder’s Background

The main reason for this life story is to show our loved ones, friends, and others how blessed we are to live in our wonderful America. Gary is hopeful that this story will help them appreciate our country and motivate them to improve their lives.

When they read about his deficiencies and how he overcame them to achieve wonderful things, it proves that such success is only possible in the great USA. Gary had no financial help from Esther, as she did not work outside the home; it was important to both of them that she raise their children. Thank God, she turned out to be a wonderful mother and wife.

Good examples of his early struggles: He was a poor high school student because he was in love with Judy Fallu throughout his four years, and he had to hitchhike 10 miles to school each day. He was raised in a broken home in a rural area after his father left the family, and his mother passed away at the age of 42. Consequently, his grades were so poor that he failed to graduate with his class.

Even though he had no business experience, he founded two businesses. Naturally, he made a number of significant mistakes. His first company, Physician’s Counseling Service, provided financial help to large medical schools and doctors, even though Gary had no formal financial knowledge and was a poor money manager at the time. His second company built a beautiful gated community called Walnut Brook Estates, featuring million-dollar homes. Even though he had no real estate experience, he launched that project without any capital. Only in America is that possible.

Thank God, in spite of these challenges, he was able to excel in both his personal and business life. These accomplishments happened because the Lord blessed him with a wonderful wife and several key strengths: a desire to help people, a positive outlook, a strong work ethic, sales skills, creativity, tenacity, and honesty. He also possessed the ability to learn from his mistakes and ensured everything was accomplished in a fair and legal manner.

Over the last 40 years, Gary has also been active in supporting a number of conservative causes. These are profiled in several important white papers he authored, which can be found on his website: patriotsforabetteramerica.us.

FAITH

The Leighs are devoted to the Lord and are thankful for the many blessings bestowed upon them. Gary’s wife, Esther, was a huge help in strengthening his faith. He leads an active prayer life and tells the Lord he loves Him many times each day.

Gary is also active in helping others strengthen their faith. He provides prayer cards to people and shares his faith generally. He has been a long-time member of Sacred Heart Parish in Dearborn. At his senior apartment building, which has 230 units, he is known as the “Candy Man” because he passes out candy to residents. Once a month, he supplies adult underwear and sanitary pads free of charge to seniors. He also delivers packages from the first-floor mailroom to his 18 neighbors on the 8th floor. Additionally, he alerts neighbors to an excellent senior program that saves members significant time and money.

FAMILY

Gary was blessed with a loving and supportive wife for 61 wonderful years, during which they were best friends. He was always faithful to her. She went to be with the Lord on August 18, 2020, at the age of 91.

Gary met Esther on a ski trip. He had no intentions of getting serious, but after spending just two days with her, he was head over heels in love. He was 22 and she was 29; he was aware of her age, but she was not aware of his. He kept it that way after learning she had once called off a serious relationship because the man was only six months younger than her. She eventually learned Gary’s age several months later when they filed for their marriage license at City Hall. She was shocked, but she was in love. Years later, she told Gary she was happy he was younger because she could not bear the thought of him passing before she did.

She was a wonderful mother and a superb teacher; her students loved her, as well as everyone else who knew her. See below, Esther & Gary’s wedding photo on August 8, 1959.  Also, a photo of them during their 50th wedding anniversary on August 8, 2009.

The Leighs have five wonderful children—Susan, Gary, Cathy, Patti, and Matthew—who are God-loving, generous, and hardworking. The oldest is 66 & the youngest is 53. They are now accomplished adults and great parents to seven wonderful grandchildren.

Their daughters all became accomplished ballet and jazz dancers, while their son Gary, was a star athlete in hockey, golf, and tennis. Matthew and Cathy became teachers.

Matt did well at a top private high school and college, where he also enjoyed playing golf and lacrosse.

They blessed them with seven beautiful grandchildren: Daniel, Elizabeth, Bianca, Ethan, Emma, Luca, and Olivia. They are also proud to have a large, wonderful extended family. See below the photo of Esther & Gary’s five beautiful children, as well as the same children 37 years later.

PERSONAL  

Gary was very active for many years, managing his businesses and traveling both for work and pleasure. He was equally dedicated to supporting and enjoying time with his family and others. He remains a prolific reader and writer, focusing on political matters to help our country. His travels with his family and for business took him extensively throughout America, Canada, Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Today, he is still a devoted fan, rooting for his favorite golfers as well as the Detroit Tigers and the Lions.

For several years, Gary was the tennis champion at his club, where his children also enjoyed swimming. He and his family spent many years skiing and camping throughout Northern Michigan, Colorado, and Florida. They also enjoyed scuba diving and deep-sea fishing in the Caribbean, and they were always active in playing pinochle and ping-pong.

Gary started working at a young age and held 17 different jobs over his lifetime. He began at age 12, landscaping his mother’s home in Taylor, Michigan—which turned out beautifully—and went on to work as a grass cutter, paperboy, and golf caddy. Later, he served as a purchasing agent for a national baking company before finally becoming the owner of the two companies mentioned above, which provided significant help to many people and medical institutions. Gary also had the distinct honor of being chosen as the godfather to his wonderful niece, Danielle Cooney.

A Fun Fact: One of Gary’s hobbies, which he still enjoys, is kidding people about their siblings. He has shared this joke with hundreds of people, mainly strangers he encounters while out and about. The typical scenario occurs while standing in a checkout line; he will say to the person next to him, “You do not know me and I don’t mean to bother you, but I’m a psychic. I can prove it by telling you who your best sibling is just by looking you over.” Once they agree, he tells them, “Your best sibling is the second child.” He is usually right, as he has found that about 80% of the time, the second child is indeed the “best,” which always pleases them. Whether he is right or not, people enjoy the interaction; in all these years, he has never had anyone respond negatively.

Gary was a golf caddy for four years during high school at the beautiful Grosse Ile Country Club. He became one of their top caddies, which is where he developed his lifelong love for the sport. To get there, he hitchhiked 15 miles each way, six days a week—a trip that required a minimum of four different rides.

He has played a number of PGA championship courses around the country, including Pebble Beach in California, the Doral Country Club in Miami, Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, the Tournament Players Course (TPC) in Dearborn, and Grand Traverse Resort, as well as several other great courses in Northern Michigan. Gary won a tournament at Oakland Hills and won a second one at the Detroit Country Day Invitational with his son, Gary, where they shot a score of 19-under-par for 18 holes. He was also a charter member of the TPC in Dearborn for many years.

(Note: Please find the photo below of Gary, his son, and their teammates receiving their trophies for winning the Detroit Country Day Invitational. Gary’s son is on the far left, and Gary is on the far right.)

Most of the girls in his 8th grade class had a crush on him, and he was one of the top athletes in grade school. Additionally, he was the checker champion in his class and an excellent marble player. His high school was a large Class A school. He played linebacker and center for four years on his high school football team, where he recorded the most tackles. His team was ranked the second strongest in Michigan. Please see below a photo of Gary in his football uniform.

His high school girlfriend was Judy Fallu, whom he met at their church’s teen club. She was a true beauty, an excellent student, and a wonderful singer. Strong in her faith, she was also one of the most popular students in school; most of the players on the football team envied Gary. Judy eventually moved to California, which was a popular trend for young people in the 1950s. When Gary met her again at their 50th class reunion, she gave him a passionate kiss right in front of her husband. She must have missed him immensely.

Gary also played baseball for several years. As a pitcher, he had an overpowering fastball; he even threw a no-hitter and was usually the strongest hitter on his teams.

At age 19, he hitchhiked to Miami Beach with his friend, Herb Wendt. He worked as a swimming instructor at a large hotel on the beach, where he actually went by the name Herb Wendt because he needed Herb’s Red Cross Certificate to get the job. He stayed busy teaching the children of the hotel guests, which earned him a great deal of money. As a result, he was able to enjoy the best seating at the top shows. In the 1950s, Miami Beach attracted major stars like Nat King Cole and Harry Belafonte. At a Nat King Cole show, Gary’s table was touching the stage because he gave the maître d’ a huge tip. Seated near him were Milton Berle, The Andrews Sisters, and many other well-known entertainers.

Regarding his health, he suffered a heart emergency at age 85 that required an emergency flight to the Cleveland Clinic. There, surgeons performed a life-saving heart operation. His three daughters were a huge help to him during his time in Cleveland.

Gary has loved to sing throughout his life and still does. He sang at church and belonged to an outstanding a cappella choir for a number of years. This type of choir sings eight-part harmony without any instrumental accompaniment.

He kept a beautiful garden at his home, which featured a prolific fig tree. He also landscaped his home of 52 years in Dearborn, which was the envy of the entire neighborhood. Below are two photos of his garden and backyard landscaping.

His love of landscaping was one of the main reasons the subdivision he developed and owned, Walnut Brook Estates (WBE), was so successful. WBE won a number of landscaping awards, as shown below.

Gary donated approximately $100,000 to his brother, Jim, which enabled Jim to build a beautiful vacation home on 30 acres of heavily wooded property in Northern Michigan. Gary also groomed the woods surrounding the home to create a more scenic view. That home provided wonderful benefits for the Leighs, their extended family, and their friends, allowing them to grow much closer. Additionally, Jim ran a popular deer hunting camp there for family and friends for approximately 30 years.

When Gary was 83, he had a full restoration of all his teeth. His local dentist wanted over $30,000 to do it. His sister, who lived in Phoenix, referred him to a border town in Mexico that is safe next to Yuma, Arizona, which has many dental clinics. They cater to Americans. Five of the clinics are approved by the American Dental Association. He checked those and chose the best one. The owner is a good guy, helpful and easy to work with. Gary was lucky to get the entire restoration done for $6,800.

The clinic is efficient and completes work quickly. They also provide complimentary airport transportation and a large private room with a king-sized bed within the clinic building. It is an enjoyable destination, as the food and entertainment are excellent. Please see the before-and-after photos of his teeth below. Gary or his daughters would be happy to refer anyone to this clinic; please call them at (313) 690-8747 for more information.

Also, please find below photos of his teeth before and after.

Business  

During his successful multi-decade business career, Gary founded, developed, and managed two outstanding companies. The first was the Physicians Counseling Service (PCS), which achieved remarkable results for three large medical schools, hundreds of doctors, and thousands of patients. The second was Walnut Brook Estates (WBE), an award-winning gated golfing community.

He is very proud of his first company, PCS, a multi-state financial consulting firm. The firm was responsible for generating an immense increase in patient-care income for doctors at several top university medical schools, including the Universities of Michigan, Texas, and Nebraska. As a result, these medical schools were able to substantially enhance their ability to recruit top doctors and improve the quality of their healthcare, research, and medical training. While working with the University of Nebraska Medical School, Gary rented a lakefront home that his family and friends enjoyed immensely.

His second company built and marketed Walnut Brook Estates (WBE), a renowned luxury gated community that earned numerous awards. Located on the border of Rochester Hills and Troy, Michigan, the community sits adjacent to a championship golf course. WBE consists of approximately 70 homeowners, with property values ranging from several hundred thousand dollars to over $3 million. The community is surrounded and protected by the Pine Trace Golf Club, a pond, a wildlife sanctuary, a private park, bike and nature trails, a creek, and dense woods.

The high quality of Gary’s development even motivated the city to build an award-winning elementary school just half a mile from WBE. Additionally, his work inspired other real estate developers to build attractive communities throughout the region, substantially enhancing the overall quality of local housing. This transformation was significant, as the area was previously occupied by dilapidated older homes before Gary developed WBE.

Below is a photo of Gary examining the architectural plans for one of the homes in his community.

POLITICAL  

He has been a lifelong student of American and world history. The knowledge he gained from those studies, combined with several decades of a successful business career and years of contributing to our country’s progress since the Reagan administration, has fostered his deep love for America.

He clearly understands why the nation is currently facing significant challenges, how those issues originated, and what must be done to fix our serious national and local problems. You can find detailed information on these topics in his work, “Great Solutions to America’s 15 Terrible Problems Caused by the Left (Democrats) and RINOs (Republicans),” available on his popular website: patriotsforabetteramerica.us

Below, you will find highlights of Gary’s political contributions, as well as a photo of him taken in 2024.

#1 Dr. Rob Steele’s Congressional Campaign
Gary served as the National Public Relations Director for Dr. Robert (Rob) Steele, a well-regarded interventional cardiologist from Ann Arbor, during his 2010 U.S. Congressional campaign. Steele ran against John Dingell, who had served in Congress for 58 years—the longest tenure in American history—and possessed a massive campaign war chest. Because this was Steele’s first run for office, he was a political unknown, and many assumed Dingell would easily overwhelm him.

However, Gary generated significant financial and PR support for Steele by engaging top national TV and radio hosts across the country. Many political insiders doubted this was possible given Steele’s lack of name recognition. Nationalizing the race was particularly challenging because most congressional contests are confined to state-level interest; Gary had to compete nationwide for media coverage and donations.

The tremendous support Gary secured was the primary reason Steele gave Dingell the most significant challenge of his 58-year career. Dingell ultimately won only because he outspent Steele three-to-one. Following the narrow victory, Dingell retired, having been shaken by the strength of the Steele campaign and his own advancing age.

Gary arranged over 40 national and local appearances for Steele on programs hosted by Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Miller, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, and Bill Bennett. These appearances generated thousands of contributions and numerous articles from respected journalists. Additionally, Gary persuaded Dennis Prager, Bill Bennett, and Dick Morris to travel to Michigan to campaign for Steele.

Gary’s work extended beyond media; for example, he arranged for Dick Morris—whom Time Magazine called the top private political adviser in the country—to assist Steele pro bono. Gary also secured enthusiastic support from Docs4PatientCare, a large national association of thousands of doctors. Furthermore, he coordinated with various Tea Party groups and convinced the Tea Party Express to alter its national bus tour schedule to hold a rally for Steele. Amy Kremer, President of Tea Party Express, cited Steele’s rally as one of the best on their national tour.

#2 Right to Work (RTW) in Michigan
Gary played a major role in getting Right to Work legislation approved in Michigan, despite fierce opposition and millions of dollars spent by union leadership to defeat it. Political pundits were shocked by the success, as Michigan is the birthplace and headquarters of the UAW. The law has since been credited with providing union members more freedom and power while bolstering Michigan’s economy.

#3 Patriots For A Better America (PBA)
The political influence of Gary and Patriots For A Better America (PBA), demonstrated by the Steele campaign and the RTW victory, has continued to generate significant PR and financial support for important political races and cultural causes nationwide.

#4 2024 Congressional Race against Rashida Tlaib
Gary served as the Campaign Manager for a candidate running against Rashida Tlaib in Michigan’s 12th District. Tlaib, a prominent member of “The Squad” alongside AOC, faced significant criticism for her rhetoric following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Gary assembled a top-tier team of five professionals to defeat her, and many observers believed his candidate had a strong chance of winning. However, the candidate was forced to withdraw from the race due to what Gary describes as questionable maneuvers orchestrated by Tlaib’s camp to have him disqualified.

EXCITING INFORMATION BELOW ABOUT WALNUT BROOK ESTATES AND THE PINE TRACE GOLF CLUB.

See photos and images below of Walnut Brook Estates’ front entrance, gatehouse, one of its million-dollar homes, front entrance waterfall, and drive. Also included are the Pine Trace Golf Club entrance and their beautiful signature golf hole. Lastly, there is a Walnut Brook Estates site plan that shows its 12 attractions.