Leon Bynum

Leon (as he was known) was educated in Greensboro Public Schools. For more than fifteen years, he was a line road truck driver for Estes Express Lines, Inc. and Ryder-PIE, Inc. He and his wife later opened a small professional secretarial service and contracted to be the first Black-owned contract postal service in Greensboro: The Business Hub, Inc., and Postal Plus. He was one of the founders of the first charter school in Guilford County, Imani Institute, also in Greensboro.

After relocating to Gastonia later in life, Leon realized that he had an entrepreneurial gift for business and developmental savvy and began to study grant writing. He worked hard at writing grants during his years of serving in the community securing grants for nonprofit organizations and teaching others how to write grants. It became his lifeline, and he was considered a guru in the field. He was able to strengthen nonprofits to carry out their vision and mission to impact the world. Later, he founded The Bynum Group, Inc., Nonprofit Consultants in Los Angeles, CA and Charlotte, NC where he served as President and Consultant prior to his retirement.

Leon enjoyed sports, jazz, card playing, traveling, and helping people. He considered himself a fantastic grill-master, and a dedicated Dallas Cowboy and Lakers Fan. He especially enjoyed volunteering at Trinity Oaks prior to his illness. One of his greatest thrills was seeing Kenny G perform in person and having him leave the stage for a moment and end up playing right beside him in the audience. Ironically, it was Leon’s birthday!

He leaves to cherish his memory a devoted wife, The Rev. Brenda Richmond Bynum of Salisbury, NC; a daughter, Tremell Lane of Bennettsville, SC; four sons, Durelle and Melvin Bynum of Greensboro; Brandon Bynum (Latrice) of Gastonia; and Chamar Bynum of Lynbrook, New York; one sister, Patricia Bynum Williamson of Winston-Salem and one brother, The Rev. Lee Bynum (Eugenia) of Thomasville; a brother-in-law, Andre Richmond of Greensboro; eight grandchildren: Sherelle Bynum, Dajhelon Bynum, Nia Bynum, and Kiara Bynum, all of Greensboro; Genesis Bynum of New York; Lavon Bynum, Jordan Bynum, and Isaiah Walker all of Gastonia, a devoted niece, Brittany Leak Williamson of Winston-Salem and a host of cousins, relatives and friends. And, finally, his fur baby, Teddy Bear Bynum.

Honorable mention is given to a very talented and longtime friend, Donyel Barber, with whom he worked as she served as the Executive Director for Family Promise of Gaston County (formally Gaston County Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc.) a program dedicated to helping homeless families in crisis situations to regain their independence and self-sufficiency.

Visitation will be on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at New Hope Community Fellowship located at 10445 N. Main St. in Archdale from 12:00 until 12:30 with a Celebration of Life Service to follow immediately. Entombment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Greensboro at 3pm. Shared memories and comforting words can be addressed to the family at www. Linn-Honeycutt.com. The Family requests in lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Trinity Oaks Health/Rehab, 820 Klumac Rd., Salisbury, 28144 or Novant Hospice Care, Salisbury.