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Reid Leonard Obituary

REID H. LEONARD, PhD

1918-2013





Reid Hayward Leonard, 95, of Pensacola passed away peacefully on November 30, 2013. He went to be with his wife, Mary Jane, of 67 years who preceded him in death. His sister, Eleanor Winifred, and brother, Kenneth Leonard also preceded him in death.

Reid was born August 28, 1918 in Littleton, New Hampshire to Reid Smith Leonard and Goldie May Hayward. He grew up in Derby, Vermont also called the Northeast Kingdom.

He received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Vermont, Master's Degree from West Virginia, and a Doctor's Degree in Agricultural Chemistry with minor in Forest Products from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Reid married Mary Jane Kreko in 1946. During WWII he worked at Forest Products Laboratories and shortly after worked in a vanilla factory in Wausau, Wisconsin. After moving to Pensacola in 1947 he worked at Newport Industries in Research & Development for 14 years on the chemical conversion of wood, specifically making levulinic acid from pine tree stumps. He next ran the Clinical Laboratory at Baptist Hospital. He decided to start his own chemical laboratory at his home in East Hill on Escambia Avenue and in 1964 built a new house and moved his laboratory to Brent Lane.

When he retired from chemistry he concentrated on artistic woodworking. Reid was active in the formation of Pensacola Artists Inc. and their Quayside Art Gallery. He was elected honorary lifetime member of that organization in 1981.

He is survived by his sons, Reid Leland of Pensacola; Paul Pearce and wife Shirley of Houston, Texas; Dalton Cole and wife Tracy of Marietta, Georgia; and three granddaughters, Courtney Elaine and husband Jeff Lyons of Houston, Texas; Abigail Christine of Athens, Georgia; and Olivia Claire of Marietta, Georgia.

The funeral service, officiated by Dr. Ron Wilcoxson, will be held at East Hill Baptist Church 3960 Spanish Trail Pensacola, FL 32504 on Wednesday, December 04, 2013 at 1pm, with visitation one hour prior. A reception will follow at the family home. Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements.

Express your condolences in our guestbook at pnj.com/obits

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by the Pensacola News Journal from Dec. 3 to Dec. 4, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Reid Leonard

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Paul Leonard

December 8, 2013

Hello I am Paul Pearce Leonard my parents' middle son. I live in Texas. Most of you know my older brother, Leland. My younger brother, Dalton, lives in Georgia. My family would like to thank you for coming here today. This has been a particularly sorrowful year for us. We lost our Mother in March and now 9 months later we have lost our Father. My wife, Shirley, and I took the time to be here in Pensacola with Leland to help comfort my Father at his end.
I would like to share with you a few memories about my Father and how he influenced my life.
I learned to hold a flashlight still without moving it while Dad worked in the dark to fix something. If I didn't he'd let me know in certain terms. He was teaching me teamwork.
His dress code was simple. Never leave the house without a belt on and always carry a handkerchief. Today the TV news tells you to cough into your elbow.
Dad always used a napkin, never wasted food, and always cleaned his plate. He taught me table manners. Mother taught me how to wash the dishes.
He taught me gardening. My favorite memory is when he turned the hose on the citrus trees outside our back window for 32° protection during a hard freeze. In the morning my brothers and I had a Winter Wonderland to play in. Life was great. Every spring we would plant seeds for a vegetable garden and I still to this day love the smell of freshly tilled soil and what it can bring forth.
Dad taught me how to measure lumber, saw wood, how to hammer a nail. He emphasized not to cut my fingers off. I didn't do too well in the building area, but Leland and Dalton took up my slack.
Dad was my English teacher. When I was a boy and I didn't know how to spell a word, he made me look it up in the huge Webster's dictionary. That always made me mad! He wanted me to read 3 pages just to try to find one word. Dad learned how to read German and Russian in college. German just about did me in in college.
I'm a chemist and Dad was my first instructor. When I took organic chemistry in college I would get frustrated in not understanding what I read. Dad told me to read the chapter again. And if I still didn't understand it to reread it a third time. He told me I would eventually understand it. Throughout my chemical career I was always confident in being able to display proper laboratory bench technique wherever I worked because I was trained by one of the best – my Father, the chemist.
I especially liked listening to the souvenir Calypso LP records Dad brought back from a vacation in Jamaica. I learned to beat the large Jamaican conga drum and stay in time with the songs. I remember when he bought me my first guitar and I learned to play songs from the Kingston Trio. I know that playing the guitar was one thing I did better than my Father. Today I still love to listen to different kinds of music because of his listening to his extensive record collection.
Dad taught me how to party. I treasured the beach parties when he gathered all his laboratory technicians and their families together and catching blue crabs was the best thing to do on Santa Rosa Island. When we got home Dad would pour the crabs into the kitchen sink and tell us boys to keep them there. One would always come crawling out.
When Dad flew to Miami for a chemical meeting he brought back a live baby alligator. We kept it in the bathtub and had a great time playing with it until one morning it suddenly disappeared. This taught me about disappointment.
Dad was a shade tree mechanic. He always told me to keep the pebbles out of my car tires, check the tire pressure, gap spark plugs, change the oil, and never hang my arm out the window will driving. He encouraged me to do auto mechanics.
Dad smoked cigars and a pipe. I thought it was real cool until he put one in my mouth. Then I thought it was bad real fast. I coughed and turned blue. I learned that smoking was not good.
I remember when we got bicycles one Christmas morning. He would put me on my bike and shove me off in the backyard and I would crash into the pear tree. This event was repeated until we finally learned to ride. Dad taught us boys how to accomplish a difficult task.
As a boy Dad took me to a department store and taught me how to buy jewelry for Mother. I learned later in life that this tricky task wasn't so easy when I tried it on my own wife.
Finally I would like to say to him “Thank you Dad for being my father and I will never forget what you taught me. I know you are at peace. Goodbye.”

Becky Powers

December 5, 2013

Soon after I moved to Pensacola in 1975, I discovered Dr. Leonard's exceptional talent with wood at the Quayside Gallery. I have loved everything I've ever seen that he built, and have been fortunate to have obtained several of his pieces. My condolences to his family. His skill and creativity created beautiful treasures in wood.

Rick Gill (PHS '70)

December 3, 2013

Reid -- you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I have often thought of and remembered you and your brother and the rest of your family, whenever I've driven on the part of Brent Lane near your home.
Sincerely,

Karen Wirrig

December 3, 2013

Dr. Leonard was a fascinating man and it was my pleasure to meet him about a dozen years ago. He said I was one of the few interior designers he would work with and it was a privilege to order his furniture for my clients and myself. He taught me about the various wood veneers and it is wonderful that Leland learned the art and craft of fine woodworking too. I'm sure it was a great comfort to have Leland there for both his mom and dad. My deepest sympathy to Leland and his siblings.

Ray Davis

December 3, 2013

Leland:
I wanted to extend my condolences to you upon hearing of your Dad's passing. I was his insurance agent and I will be in touch with you in a few days to arrange for a meeting.

Ray Davis

Nancy Newland-Beverly

December 3, 2013

I met Dr. Leonard when I was a young crime scene officer for Pensacola Police Department. Dr. Leonard conducted chemical analysis for the department. He was always a gracious man who took the time to talk with me about the work he was performing. I enjoyed our visits! His beautiful woodwork was always evident, a visible reminder of a man who was both an academic and an artist. My prayers are with those who love Dr. Leonard.

December 3, 2013

Reid was a close friend and always an inspiration for me. He lives on in our memories. May God grant all who mourn his loss the peace of his love.
Bob Kennedy

steve marvin

December 3, 2013

Leland - my wife CeCe Hines and I send our condolences. The loss of a parent leaves a large hole-in-the-world. We hope that your life ahead is a healthy and happy one. Time passes - we grieve - we heal. We're sorry for your loss.

B Roberts

December 3, 2013

My sincere condolences Leland. Your dad was a very fine man who taught you well to keep up the Leonard legacy in the fine arts. May he rest peacefully and know my heart is heavy for you Leland and your brother.

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