He was born in Arkansas in 1920. He served in the 154th Air Squadron of the Army Air Corps as a radio operator and was wounded in action in Tunisia in North Africa during World War II when his jeep hit a land mine. He lost a leg and was honorably discharged with a Purple Heart in 1943.
He received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Arkansas and went on to graduate study at the University of Oklahoma.
He and his wife Letha arrived in Las Cruces in 1950. Mr. Leonard worked as a physicist for the USDA at the SW Cotton Ginning Laboratory where he made significant contributions to the field of cotton ginning research during his 20 year career.
He was an avid outdoorsman and loved camping and fishing. His hobbies also included amateur radio and photography. Although he was not a musician himself, he loved music very much, especially traditional jazz.
He is preceded in death by Letha, his second wife, Nancy "Genie" and his oldest son Kent, who was killed in Vietnam in 1967. Survivors include his son Carl Leonard and his wife Claire of Las Cruces; daughter, Lee Ann Gott and her husband Lou who live in Aurora, Colorado; grandchildren, Laura Gott, Daryl Gott; grandson Dylan Leonard and his wife Audrey; and great-grandchild Mariah Leonard.
A service will be held at Graham's Mortuary Chapel, 555 W. Amador in Las Cruces at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 6, 2004. His cremated remains will be buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.
He was born in Arkansas in 1920. He served in the 154th Air Squadron of the Army Air Corps as a radio operator and was wounded in action in Tunisia in North Africa during World War II when his jeep hit a land mine. He lost a leg and was honorably discharged with a Purple Heart in 1943.
He received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Arkansas and went on to graduate study at the University of Oklahoma.
He and his wife Letha arrived in Las Cruces in 1950. Mr. Leonard worked as a physicist for the USDA at the SW Cotton Ginning Laboratory where he made significant contributions to the field of cotton ginning research during his 20 year career.
He was an avid outdoorsman and loved camping and fishing. His hobbies also included amateur radio and photography. Although he was not a musician himself, he loved music very much, especially traditional jazz.
He is preceded in death by Letha, his second wife, Nancy "Genie" and his oldest son Kent, who was killed in Vietnam in 1967. Survivors include his son Carl Leonard and his wife Claire of Las Cruces; daughter, Lee Ann Gott and her husband Lou who live in Aurora, Colorado; grandchildren, Laura Gott, Daryl Gott; grandson Dylan Leonard and his wife Audrey; and great-grandchild Mariah Leonard.
A service will be held at Graham's Mortuary Chapel, 555 W. Amador in Las Cruces at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 6, 2004. His cremated remains will be buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement