Henry Jerome Leonards

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 pm Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church for Henry Jerome Leonards, 86, who passed away December 25, 2020 at Lafayette General Hospital. Fr. Mikel Polson, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church will be officiating for the services. The family is requesting visiting hours to be held Tuesday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley. A rosary will be led by Deacon Dennis LaCroix at 11:30 am Tuesday. Interment will be in St. Lawrence Cemetery at a later date. Mr. Leonards hobbies included gardening, dabbling in livestock, wine making, and singing at the German Fest. He was a faithful member of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church where he sang in the mixed and men's choir. His favorite pastime though was spending time with his loving family. He is survived by his wife, Loretta Smith Leonards; seven children, Jude Leonards and his wife Kelly, Janet Grotefend and her husband David, Jeff Leonards and his wife Debra, Donna Sarver and her husband Brent, Beth Simon, Susan Albritton and her husband Mike, and Kathrina Leonards Vidrine; two sisters, Mary Ann "Rusty" Leonards, and Catherine Huesers; one brother, Wilfred Leonards; one sister-in-law, Alberta Lyons; nineteen grandchildren, and eight great-children. Mr. Henry is preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Hensgens Leonards; his parents, Lawrence and Annie Zaunbrecher Leonards; four sisters, Josephine Cramer, Rita Leonards, Johanna Leonards and Lidwina Leonards; five brothers, William Leonards, Norbert Leonards, Vincent Leonards, Raymond Leonards, Benno Leonards, and Dennis Leonards; one grandson, Eric Grotefend; and one son-in-law, James Simon. Pallbearers will be Ryan Leonards, Matt Sarver, Phillip Sarver, Andrew Simon, Lucas Simon, Robert Michael Albritton, and Grace Vidrine. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105, St. Michael Catholic Elementary School 805 E. Northern Ave Crowley, LA 70526, and/or Notre Dame Catholic High School 910 N. Eastern Ave Crowley, LA 70526. Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley.