Mr William H Leonard Jr

William Henry Leonard, Jr. (“Sonny” as he was affectionately called by his family) was born on June 15, 1943, in Columbus, Ga. He was the first child of eight of William Henry Leonard, Sr and Lillian Louise Moore. He attended both Brookfield. and Radcliff Elementary Schools and was a member of Spencer High School’s class. of 1961. In the year of 1960, he became a father to a son, Gwuana R. Thomas, Sr. During the summer of 1961, he met a young woman by the name of Ruth Martin from Columbus, Ga. On November 15, 1964, they were married in holy matrimony. at Peace Baptist Church in Columbus and were together for a total of 56 years until Ruth’s death in 2021. Shortly after his marriage, Sonny enlisted in the United States Army where he gained the rank of Sergeant and served in the Vietnam War. He has shared many. stories of his life during this tumultuous time in history. In 1972, Sonny and Ruth moved north to Atlanta, GA and purchased a home in Decatur, Georgia where they both lived until their passing. They welcomed a baby girl, Antonia Fion (deceased), a son, William H. Leonard, III and another daughter Makeba Zonda. Upon his move to Atlanta, Sonny took employment as a taxicab driver through the streets of downtown. It was through this job he learned Atlanta like the “back of his hand.” Shortly after, he gained employment with General Motors at the Lakewood plant. This also gave him the opportunity to live and work for GM in Bowling Green, KY and Baltimore, MD. Working for GM gave him access to free education. Therefore, Sonny pursued several technical degrees to hone his craft. This led him to his beloved “side hustle” HVAC and the founding of his own company, Leonard’s Complete Heating and Air. He retired from GM at his 30-year mark but maintained his independent heating and AC company. In 2015, Sonny began his journey of pursuing the Jehovah Witness faith. He met countless brothers and sisters who welcomed him with open arms and made his transition seamless. He loved attending services and was excited when it was his turn to share a reading. He remained a devout Witness until his passing. Preceding in him in death are his parents, William Henry Leonard, Sr. and Lillian Louise Moore, his wife Ruth Martin Leonard, his daughter Antonia, and his sister, Lilla Marsha (Leonard) Edwards. He leaves to cherish his memory, his two sons, Gwuana R. Thomas, Sr. and William H. Leonard, III, a daughter, Makeba Leonard, six brothers, Walker Dean, Leland Wayne, Myron, Osbert, Zelford and Roderick Leonard and a host of grandchildren: Gwuana, Jr., Alexander, Marretta Louise, Jazzmond, Erielle, several great grands, and a plethora of other family members.

Tributes

Mr William H Leonard Jr

June 15, 1943 - September 2, 2023