July 25, 1940 - September 02, 2014
Age 74, entered the presence of the Lord, whom she loved and served, on September 2, 2014. She was born July 25, 1940, in a house located in the vicinity of Rogersville/Toonersville, Alabama. She was the daughter of a cotton farmer, and helped pick cotton as a child. She is survived by her husband, Donald Gary Leonard, and by her two sons, Bradley Thornton (Katie), and Charles Keith; by three grandsons, Sean Bradley, Jack Peyton Keith, and a third baby boy, William Paul. She is also survived by three sisters; Evelyn Mock, of Winston-Salem, NC; Jeanette Pellman, of Charleston, SC; and Annette Davenport, of Indianapolis, IN. Her brother, Presley Thornton, died of cancer at age 21. Zeda graduated from Tennessee Temple, Chattanooga, TN, with a BA. She worked in the Army Audit Agency at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL. Later, she was employed at Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois, where she was an editor for Moody Monthly, which later became Moody Magazine. She became Managing Editor of the publication in 1974. In that same year, Zeda was engaged to Gary Leonard, who also worked for Moody Bible Institute (Assistant Manager of WMBI radio). After their marriage at Moody Memorial Church, November 2, 1974, the couple moved to Spokane, WA, where Gary managed KMBI Radio for 30 years. Gary and Zeda have been active in churches in the Spokane area, the latest of which is Shiloh Hills Fellowship, where they have been involved deeply for the past 11 years. Zeda has been known for her deep love for her Lord Jesus Christ, and her zeal to serve God and people in many ways. Her strength and deep faith were obvious throughout her life, and more recently, through a difficult battle with cancer. A Memorial and Celebration of the Life of Zeda Leonard will be held on Sunday, September 14, 3pm, at Shiloh Hills Fellowship, 207 E. Lincoln Road, Spokane, WA, 99208. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shiloh Hills Fellowship, or to Hospice of Spokane, P.O Box 2215, Spokane, WA 99210.
