Robert John “R.J.” Leonard, Jr.
There will be a public visitation for Meigs County Deputy Robert Leonard on Monday at the Meigs County High School, 105 Abel Ave., in Decatur, from 4-7 p.m. A funeral service will follow at 7 p.m. in the Meigs County High School Gymnasium.
Robert John “R.J.” Leonard, Jr., age 35, of Decatur, formerly of Hannibal, N.Y., passed away on Thursday. R.J. did construction for most of his life, until recently moving to Tennessee to pursue his dream of becoming a police officer. Upon completing the police academy, he became a deputy sheriff at the Meigs County Sheriff’s Department, where he instantly became part of the family. He truly loved his brothers and sisters in blue. He also loved sports, especially football (Go Eagles), boating, fishing, and the outdoors, but most of all he loved spending time with his family.
He is survived by his wife, Christa Leonard, and five children, Zachary, Evan, Kailynn, Aubrey and Isabelle.
A funeral procession will leave the Decatur Funeral Home at 163 Arrants Road on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. and follow a specific route to the Decatur Cemetery where a graveside funeral for Deputy Leonard will take place. The Decatur Cemetery is off Abel Avenue in front of the Meigs County High School.
There will not be any funeral services or visitation held at the Decatur Funeral Home on Tuesday prior to the graveside service. The route of the funeral procession is listed below.
Due to the limited size of the processional route and parking at the cemetery, law enforcement, fire department, and other public safety personnel, along with the public, are requested to help line the processional route as tribute to Deputy Leonard. At the cemetery, only limited, specific parking will be available for family and friends. Any members of the public or public safety personnel attending the graveside service will need to park outside of the cemetery and walk in.
The funeral procession will take the following route:
Leave Decatur Funeral Home at 12:15 p.m. on Arrants Road. From Arrants Road they will merge right on River Road briefly and then left on Highway 58. From Highway 58 the procession will turn right on Z Street and then right on Main Street. From Main Street, the procession will turn right onto Abel Avenue and take the second entrance into the Decatur Cemetery