Jonathan Curry McLeod

Jonathan Curry McLeod, age 59, of Navarre, Florida, passed away on March 3, 2025. He was born on January 2, 1966, in Memphis, Tennessee, to John Robert and Joyce Evelyn McLeod. He married Christine B McLeod on January 7, 1995, sharing 30 years of marriage together and raised three children: Rebekah Nichole, Matthew Curry and Kathryn Elizabeth.
Jonathan graduated from Lake Brantley High School, where he was a ranked tennis player in the USTA section in Florida. He went on to continue his education at Oglethorpe University, in Atlanta, Georgia, earning a BA in Business. While at Oglethorpe University, Jonathan was given an opportunity to transform the fraternity he had joined (as had his father John Robert), the Kappa Alpha Order (KA). In 1984, the fraternity was consumed with drug use, related academic failure and financial insolvency. The fraternity's national office dismissed all the members except Jonathan. Jonathan dedicated countless hours to resurrect the chapter. Armed with his charm, wit and natural ability to sell, he started recruiting new members. He called this opportunity a "Laboratory for Leadership". His persistence and determination paid dividends. Within two years, KA was the most respected fraternity on campus: academically, athletically and socially. Today, those brothers have forged new paths and have positively impacted the communities they call home.
Jonathan had many talents and passions including the beach, tennis, astronomy, and the automotive industry. With the same drive and ambition he had in restoring his fraternity, Jonathan began his career in the automotive industry with Subaru Corporation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He thrived in the industry and was quickly picked up by Chrysler Corporation, as one of their District Managers. Jonathan married Christine in 1995, and was transferred with Chrysler Corporation, to Pensacola, Florida. Again, Jonathan was moving up the corporate ladder quickly and was soon promoted and asked to move back to their New Orleans office. Jonathan chose his family over the promotion as he wanted to keep his family in a safer and more stable environment with a better education system. In November of 1998, Jonathan adopted Christine's daughter, Rebekah Nichole, and raised her as his own. He went on to work as a General Manger for a large, private dealership group for several years. His last career move was to a law firm: Killgore, Pearlman & Semanie, PA, as their Automotive Expert Consultant. He assisted clients in navigating through the complex transactions of either purchasing or selling new car franchise dealerships. Through his years of experience working for both manufacturers and dealers, he provided a wealth of knowledge in assisting dealers secure manufacturer approval for their new dealerships and in representing them through the buy/sell process. One of his most accomplished transactions involved assisting a first-time automotive buyer successfully navigate their initial private equity acquisition of a group of private dealerships.
Jonathan is survived by his wife, Christine B McLeod, of Navarre, Florida; his daughter, Rebekah Nichole Van Zant (Ari), of Navarre, Florida; his son, Matthew Curry McLeod, of Pensacola, Florida; his daughter, Kathryn Elizabeth McLeod, of Navarre, Florida; his grandson, Elias Van Zant, of Navarre, Florida; his brother, Jeffrey Howard McLeod, of Oakland, Florida; his nephew, Alexander McLeod, of Oakland, Florida; and his niece, Sarah McLeod, of Oakland, Florida.
There will be a Celebration of Life party during the summer months and invitations will be sent out with additional details.
For those wishing to honor Jonathan's memory through donations, contributions may be made to the St. Jude’s Foundation, an organization that was close to Jonathan's heart. St. Jude’s is dedicated to treating and curing pediatric catastrophic diseases, primarily focusing on leukemia and other cancers. He often visited children in the hospital, reading to them and offering companionship, always bringing joy to their day. There's no better way to honor his memory.
Ways to Donate:
·Online: Visit St. Jude's donation page to make a one-time or monthly contribution.
·By Phone: Call (800) 822-6344, available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT.
·By Mail: Send checks payable to "St. Jude Children's Research Hospital" to:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude’s Place
Memphis, TN 38105
When making a donation in honor of Jonathan, you can choose to have St. Jude’s send a personalized e-card or mail card to notify the recipient of your gift.
stjude.org
St. Jude’s ensures that families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food, allowing them to focus on helping their child live.
stjude.org
Thank you for considering this meaningful way to remember Jonathan and support the vital work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Disclaimer: This obituary has been created by the family and posted directly by Lewis Funeral Home. Any re-creation of this obituary to any other website is not deemed the original obituary. Any items purchased (flowers, trees, etc.) through any other website other than Lewis Funeral Home, are at the sole discretion of the purchaser and are not guaranteed by Lewis Funeral Home.