Dr. James Robert Leonard

Dr. James Robert Leonard passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, March 15, 2015 in the arms of his loving wife Elizabeth and His Lord Jesus Christ. Jim was born in Danville, Va. on October 9, 1933. He was predeceased by his father, Joseph Wheeler Leonard; his mother, Ruby Burks Leonard; and his brother, Otis Leonard.He is survived by his sister Colleen (Wallace) Adams of Danville, Va.; his son Scott (Andrea) Leonard and their two children, Gianna and Anthony of Slidell, La.; and his daughter Lisa (Chuck) Preston and their two daughters Mary Grace and Carrie Beth, also of Slidell, La.Dr. Jim Leonard attended George Washington High School in Danville where he lettered as a quarterback and excelled academically. He attended the Medical College of Virginia and graduated as a Pharmacist in 1955 and was Class Valedictorian as well as President of the School of Pharmacy. He went on to medical school at the Medical College of Virginia graduating in 1959 with his Medical Degree. He spent his internship, from 1959 until 1960, in Santa Monica, Calif. at The Santa Monica Hospital. From 1961 until 1965, Jim completed his Residency in Otolaryngology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. In 1966, Jim was a Senior Staff Instructor in Otolaryngology at The Johns Hopkins University and Special Fellow of the National Institute of Health of Neurological Diseases and Blindness and physiological research in hearing and audiology, a consultant in Otolaryngology to the Baltimore City Health Department from 1965 until 1966 and also a Consultant in Otolaryngology to the Social Security Administration from 1965 until 1967. From December of 1966 until 1969, he was Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Iowa in Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.From 1970 until 1972 Jim was the Professor and Chairman of the department of Otolaryngology at Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa. and Consultant to Lankenau Hospital, Bryn Mawr Hospital, the Veterans Administration Hospital in Wilmington, Del. and the Wilmington Medical Center. Jim proudly served his county in the USPHS at the National Institute of Health from 1960 until 1962 as Executive Secretary to the Communicative Disorders Research Training Committee and the Neurology Research Training Committee in Bethesda, Md.Dr. Leonard was Board Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and the International Society of Cosmetic Surgeons.In 1973, Jim left academic medicine and moved to Atlanta where he practiced in his specialties from 1973 until 1999.While in Philadelphia, Jim was a member of the Merion Golf Club and remained a member for 33 years. In Atlanta, Jim was a member of Atlanta Country Club, where he and his wife Elizabeth played golf and both were volunteers for 11 years for the PGA Medical Staff during the Atlanta Classic and Bellsouth Classic PGA events.Jim was and avid golfer, runner, and skier during his adult life having a home in Steamboat Springs, Colo. for 25 years. During his many years in Atlanta, Jim and Elizabeth enjoyed the Atlanta Falcons, the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks as season ticket holders. After retiring from private practice in Atlanta in 1999, he and Elizabeth moved permanently to their home in Jupiter, Fla. where they enjoyed playing golf at both Jonathans Landing Golf Club and Hobe Sound Golf Club.They are members of St. Jude's Catholic Church in Tequesta, Fla.The family will hold a private memorial Mass at St. Jude's Catholic Church at a date yet to be determined.The family would like to thank Hospice of Palm Beach for the excellent care and services that they provided for Dr. Jim during the last six months.