ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. 

Obituary for: LEONARD, EDWARD L. 

Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. 

Source: E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, Covington, La.

Died Friday Aug 6, 2010

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LEONARD, EDWARD L. 
(February 13, 1941 - August 6, 2010)

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Someone once wrote that the measure of a man is the company he keeps. But it is 
the company that kept Edward (Eddie) Louis Leonard, Jr., which defined him. With 
an unassuming natural gift at drawing others to him, "What a good man" would 
become the phrase of admiration uttered by those who knew him throughout his 
lifetime. 

Born February 13, 1941, in New Orleans, Eddie had a happy and carefree childhood 
under the live oaks and loblolly pines of Covington with his brother, Lawrence 
(Larry) Kirk Leonard, and among lifelong friends formed at St. Peter's and St. 
Paul's Christian Brothers' Schools. He was also blessed to have a large extended 
family on both his mother's (Revere) and father's (Leonard) sides giving him a 
family tree that stretched from Covington to Lee Road to Folsom to Ramsey in St. 
Tammany Parish. 

A child of the World War II years, Eddie witnessed the V-J celebration on the 
street in front of his Aunt Margie's restaurant, Revere's Cafˇ. The family-run 
restaurant, adjacent to the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse, was a Covington 
fixture where his aunt, mother and two uncles worked alongside each other for 
many, many years; he considered the Cafˇ a home away from home. 

But it was at St. Paul's College where Eddie really came into his own. He was a 
curious student and outstanding athlete lettering in football, basketball and 
track & field. Before graduating in 1959, the fair-haired student-athlete was 
awarded the Jimmy Dunn Award Winner for outstanding all-around athletic 
performance at St. Paul's. Nearly a half-century later in 2006, when the St. 
Paul's Athletic Association named him to its Hall of Fame, he accepted the award 
the way he'd practiced athletics his entire life, with grace, humility and 
little fanfare. 

Long before this recent honor, Eddie met his future wife, Cora (Toni) Mae 
LeBlanc, at a sno-ball stand outside Johnny Lee Cleaners. This modest 
introduction paved the way for a marriage and lifelong relationship that 
provided a home base for eight children and twenty-three grandchildren as the 
years passed. 

The Air Force provided employment for Eddie in the early years of parenthood; 
leaving the service, he matriculated at Southeastern Louisiana University where 
he earned a Bachelor's degree and began the career he'd stay with until his 
retirement in 2001, Louisiana Air National Guard in Hammond. "Chief" Leonard 
took great pride in his years with the 236th, especially the last decade of the 
20th century as he returned to the distance running of his youth and competed in 
races with other family members. 

His last nine years were spent tinkering around his childhood home ("25th"), 
entertaining and being entertained by grandchildren and reconnecting with high 
school friends (the "Grey Wolves") and colleagues over breakfast and pleasing 
conversation.

A lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church, this faith would bring him great 
comfort and solace as he lived the final weeks of his life surrounded in 
temporal love before going home to rejoice in Christ with his mother, Ella Mae 
Revere Leonard, and father, Edward Louis Leonard, on August 6, 2010.

Eddie is survived by his brother, Larry; his wife and best friend, Toni LeBlanc 
Leonard; eight children by marriage: Susan Murari Short (Stephen), Edward Louis 
Leonard, III (Cindy), Scott Anthony Leonard (Jennifer), Joel Louis Leonard 
(Lauren), Stephen Kirk Leonard (Sherry), Leslie Elizabeth Thompson (David 
Gassen), Matthew LeBlanc Leonard (Bonnie Smith) and Jacqueline Clark.

In lieu of flowers, Eddie hoped donations might be made to St. Paul's Alumni 
Association.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend Mass of Christian 
Burial on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 2:00 PM at St. Joseph Abbey, 75376 River 
Road, St. Benedict, LA.

A wake will be held on Monday, August 9, 2010 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at E.J. 
Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W. 21st Ave. Covington, LA.

Visitation on Tuesday will resume at 12:30 PM at St. Joseph Abbey Church.

Interment with military graveside honors will follow at St. Joseph Abbey 
Cemetery.

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