Elton-Funeral service for John B. "J.B." Leonard will be held on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at St. Paul Catholic Church of Elton at 1PM. The service will be officiated by Fr. Marshall Boulet. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery of Elton under the direction of Ardoin Funeral Home.
Visitation will begin on Saturday morning at 9AM until time of service. A Rosary will be recited at 9:30AM.
John was born in Elton, Louisiana on January 3, 1938 to George Single Leonard, Sr. and Laura Bell Ballou Leonard. He was raised in Elton and attended Kinder High School. After high school, he served our country as a member of the United States Navy. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, he began a career as a long-haul truck driver. In 1960, he moved to Chicago, Illinois. He resided in Chicago for 25 years where he established and operated his own landscaping business. He moved back to his hometown of Elton, Louisiana with his wife Annie Chretien Leonard in the early 80's where he worked with his father in his lumber business shortly before he established his second landscaping business. He owned and operated John Leonard's Landscaping until he retired in 2007. J.B. was an avid fisherman, sports fan, and lover of fast cars. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was a member of St. Joseph and St. Paul Catholic Churches in Elton. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's.
He was preceded in death by his father George Single Leonard, Sr. and baby brother George Leonard, Jr.
He is survived by his mother Laura Bell Leonard, his loving wife of 36 years Annie Chretien Leonard; his best friend, Paul Clophus of Pearland, Texas; one brother, Bruce Stewart Leonard (Earline) of Kinder, Louisiana; one sister, Rose Marie Velasquez of Atlanta, Georgia; one brother-in-law, Frank Chretien, Jr. (Dorothy); four sisters-in-law, Lillian Chretien (Hollis), Frances Perkins, and Margaret Leonard all of Elton, Louisiana, and Pam Leonard of Jennings, Louisiana; seven children from his first marriage to Barbara Breaux-two sons, Joseph Brian Leonard (Penny) and Christopher James Leonard, both of Kaplan and five daughters-Consuelo Varela (Juan) of Keller, Texas, Diana Leonard of Hobart, Indiana, Sharon Leonard-Bonyo (Dr. Ben Bonyo) of Akron, Ohio, Clemmie Lozano (Francisco) of Roselle, Indiana, and Delores Leonard-Childrey (James) of Keller, Texas; six daughters from his marriage to Annie Chretien Leonard-Patsi Sterling of Missouri City, Texas, Cynthia Sterling of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Faye Sterling of Elton, Louisiana, Kimberly Esprit (Darrell) of Elton, Louisiana, Violet Leonard of Welsh, Louisiana, and Penny Leonard-Malbrew (Derrick) of Lafayette, Louisiana; 31 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews.