Rev. Gary W. Leonard

 Rev. Gary W. Leonard, 70, of Morganton, NC died Friday, December 26, 2014.  Born in Guilford County, NC on October 22, 1944, he was the son of the late Robie Wilbur Leonard and Cora Clark Leonard.  Rev. Leonard was a graduate of Page High School in Greensboro, NC, Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, IL, and the Advanced Course of Study at Duke University Divinity School.

Rev. Leonard served in many different churches, including the Church of the Nazarene in Warsaw, MO, Excelsior Springs, MO, Havelock, NC, Concord, NC, and Asheboro, NC.  He also served at United Methodist Churches/Charges with the Denton Circuit in Denton, NC (First UMC, Clear Springs UMC, Siloam UMC, and Canaan UMC); the West Yadkin Charge in Hamptonville, NC (Asbury UMC, Longtown UMC, and Hanes Grove UMC); the New Hope UMC in Rutherfordton, NC; the East Bend Charge in East Bend, NC (First UMC, Stony Knoll UMC, Baltimore UMC, and Union Hill UMC); the Rockford Street UMC and Oak Grove UMC in Mt. Airy, NC; and the Snow Hill UMC in Morganton; and Nebo UMC in Nebo, NC.

Rev. Leonard is survived by his wife of 48 years, Marilynn Jennings Leonard of the home; children, Lisa Leonard Holt and her husband, Eric, of Colorado City, CO; Timothy Willard Leonard of Morganton; and Jacqueline “Jackie” Zoe Leonard of Morganton; grandchildren, Elizabeth Holt Vigil, Rebecca Anne Holt, Moriah Cathryn Holt, Justus Parker Holt, and Kailyn Zoe Leonard; great-grandchildren, Francisco “Frankie” James Vigil and Bonnie Love Vigil; and sisters, Shirley Corinne Cox and Dorothy Thomas and her husband, Joe, all of Greensboro, NC.

In addition to his parents, Rev. Leonard was preceded in death by five siblings, Helen Godfrey, Rachel Swails Turner, Douglas Darrell Leonard, A. Conard Leonard, and Clark Wayne Leonard.

His Celebration of Life and Resurrection will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at Zion Memorial United Methodist Church in Morganton with Rev. George Williams and Rev. David Hawkins officiating.  The family will receive friends at the church from 12:30 until 2:00 p.m. prior to the service.  Burial will follow in Snow Hill United Methodist Church Cemetery.  At other times the family will be at the residence on Burke Memorial Park Road, Morganton.