Howard "Butch" Taft Leonard Jr.

Howard Taft “Butch” Leonard, Jr., 70, of Lexington went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, August 26, 2017.   The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 30, at Davidson Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr. Robert J. Floyd officiating. Interment will be at Lexington City Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home  Born and raised in Lexington, he was the son of Betty R. Leonard and the late Howard T. Leonard Sr. He attended Central Davidson High School and passed those summers working as a lifeguard at Link Taylor swimming pool. After graduating in 1964, he worked in the lumber yard for Link Taylor and joined the NC National Guard. He then went to work with Horner Waldorf. During the early 70s, he helped establish South Lexington Fire Department where he volunteered for many years as a fireman. His career path eventually led him to the U.S. Postal Service where after 35 years he retired as Supervisor of Transportation from the BMC in Greensboro. Some of his past times included fishing, hunting, taking his 1965 Buick Riviera to car shows, and shagging. But he enjoyed none as much as he did spending the day on the golf course with his buddies. Besides his family, nothing was more important to him than his friends. “You can have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have family and friends, you don’t have anything” – words he lived by.  Butch leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, Betty Leonard; daughters, Cecilia Leonard (Brian) and Genevieve Ireland (Chad); four grandchildren, Zachary Purdue, Carissa, Caden, and Brooke Ireland; his loving companion of 22 years, Edith Talley; and extended family James and Emily Talley and children.  A special “thank you” to the wonderful staff at High Point Regional, Hospice of Davidson County, and to all of the friends who have supported him throughout his life.  Breathe in and smell the roses.