On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Leonard LeBlanc, Jr., also known as "Lenny," departed this life after a prolonged illness. He was born on July 5, 1944, in Beaumont, Texas, raised in Liberty, Texas, to proud parents, the late Leonard LeBlanc, Sr., and the late Bessie Mae Bellard. He was the oldest of nine children. He graduated from Liberty Training –West Liberty High School. Eventually, the family moved to Houston, Texas.

During and after high school, Leonard was very successful as a jockey, which allowed him to purchase his mom a car, and the family's first home. His love of horses inspired his brothers, James, and Glendale, to follow in his footsteps.

After much success as a jockey, Leonard joined the United States Navy on February 26, 1965, in Houston, Texas. After completing boot camp, he was assigned four years of duty in Long Beach, California. From 1969-1971, he commenced sea duty on the USS Hector, Pacific Fleet. In 1971, he and his 1968 Chevy Corvette "RD," were assigned to the Radio Transmittal Facility in Annapolis, Maryland.

In 1973, during one of Leonard's many excursions off base, he met his future wife, Sheila. After three years of dating, they were united in holy matrimony. He married the love of his life, Sheila, on April 24, 1976, at the Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego, California.

Leonard and Sheila went everywhere together. You rarely saw one without the other. He was never ashamed to say how much he loved the Lord Jesus Christ and how grateful he was for his wife, family, church, and many friendships. He and his wife joined From the Heart Church Ministries in 1995. Leonard shined when being with a group of people; always bringing happiness, laughter, and playful banter. He would share his music and songs, play dominos and cards, or shoot pool with anyone who came to visit. He and Sheila loved to entertain. They attended many gatherings in Annapolis, Pennsylvania, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, St. Mary's County, and at their homes in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. There were many good times with family and friends at Navy Balls, pizza parties, movies, birthday parties, dinners, graduations, bus trips, cookouts and dancing the night away. They shared their lives together for 49 years.

Leonard was a gifted athlete. He received many awards for his outstanding achievements in boxing, football, baseball, and basketball. Throughout his Naval career, he was a member of many outstanding teams that won numerous championships. He played football for two of the Navy's football teams, the "CinClant Fleet" and the "Sasebo Pirates." His teams won championships in the United States and overseas. While stationed in Annapolis, Maryland, he won first place in all categories in track and field.

In 1976, from Norfolk, Virginia, Leonard was deployed overseas on a nuclear aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, CVN 68. His wife sent him a fretless guitar (an instrument he never played before), and a Peavey Amplifier. He and some of the crew plugged into that amp and taught themselves how to play, forming a band called "Sonic 77." The band performed on board the USS Nimitz and other ships in and outside of the United States.

While aboard the Nimitz, Leonard was promoted to a Hull Technician Chief (HTC) Petty Officer in 1982. His specialties as an HTC were as a qualified nuclear welder, pipefitter, and plumber. His next assignment was to the USS Yellowstone, AD 41, in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1983 to 1988. After his tour of duty in Norfolk, he was assigned to the Naval Operations District Anacostia at the Anacostia Naval Base. He worked there until his retirement. Leonard retired as a highly decorated true patriot and hero from the USS Berry, Washington Navy Yard, in Washington, D.C., on May 31, 1991, after serving 26 honorable years.

Leonard served three combat tours, crossing the equator several times, and he was recognized by the Navy for many outstanding achievements in his field of expertise. While his awards and medals are too numerous to list, a few were: two National Defense Service Medals, five Navy Achievement Medals, five Good Conduct, three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, two Navy Unit Commendations, two Vietnam Service Medals, and three Navy Expeditionary Medals.

In 1999, Leonard and Sheila had a house built in Fort Washington, Maryland. He loved his home and he enjoyed working in the yard maintaining the landscape by trimming, pruning, mulching, and cutting grass. He took pride in showing family and friends all the trees he planted.

After retiring from the Navy, and taking a few years off, Leonard went to work at the Washington Navy Yard. He worked in the Department of Public Works for 13 years as a pipefitter and plumber. He then worked from 2007-2016 for the Defense Intelligence Agency at Joint Base Andrews as a courier, carrying and processing visas and passports to the various embassies in the Nation's Capital.

Leonard missed his family—mom, dad, brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins, in Houston, Texas. He and Sheila spent many hours driving back and forth (because he wouldn't fly) to spend time with them. They laughed, talked, danced, cooked out, partied, and reminisced about the olden days. It was always a fun time when he reunited with his family. In addition to being a passionate Dallas Cowboys fan, he became a golf enthusiast. He had a group of "brothers:" Tommy, Lee, Conrad, and Warren who played every opportunity they got and anywhere they went for over 20 years.

Leonard was a loving and devoted husband, son, brother, and uncle to his family. He was a devout Christian, and a humble friend to all. His warm personality, humble spirit, and love of his country made him a friend to most of the people he met. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Leonard leaves to cherish his memory the love of his life and wife of 46 years, Sheila Morina LeBlanc; two sisters, Linda Adkins and Elizabeth Thomas; nieces: Angela Roberson, Sherry Roberson, Virginia LeBlanc, Ph.D., LaSharon LeBlanc, Lee Lynnette Williams (Rev. E. Shaun Williams), Keisha Hawkins (Brandon), LaDasha Shephard (Jerry), Lenee' Morina, Kyra Culver (Cleveland), and Bria Adams; nephews, Percy Roberson, III, Quran LeBlanc, Michael Adkins, Norwind Thomas, Billy Thomas, Jr., Robert Morina, Reginald Warfield, Kollin Caldwell-Watkins, and Jordan Watkins; longtime devoted friends, John and Caroline Bushwack, Thomas Bush, and John Wesley Singletary, his Navy family,a host of aunts, uncles, great-great nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and many other friends he made along the way. Leonard was preceded in death by his sister, Ida Roberson; brothers: Lawrence, James, Ivory, and Glendale; and nephew, Percy, II.