Leonard Bullock Fleming, III, 68, formerly of Winterville, North Carolina, peacefully passed away in Columbia, Tennessee on the morning of September 20, 2024. Born in North Carolina and relocating at a young age to the Washington D.C. area, Leonard grew up in Berwyn Heights, Maryland. There he became a diehard Redskins fan and learned early in life the art of gathering friends who would come to resemble family. While attending the Blue Ridge School, an all-boys boarding school in Saint George, Virginia, Leonard became the wrestling heavyweight national champion. It was also there he made lifelong friendships and grew his love for live music. After graduation, Leonard followed in his mother’s footsteps to attend college at East Carolina. Upon arrival to the Greenville area, he found his career, his home for nearly 50 years, and the woman of his absolute dreams, his beloved wife June. Leonard owned and operated several freight transport businesses through the years and eventually found his calling within the Greenville Police Department as a Police Dispatcher, retiring in 2017. With his booming and jolly voice, he spent many a Christmas thrilling the children of his closest friends as he spread Santa Claus excitement across as many phone lines as possible. His proudest accomplishment, however, was his role of Dad. Leonard’s daughter Hilary was his sunshine, and her successes brought him life’s greatest joy. She was the light left in his eyes after June’s passing in 2022. Hilary cared for her dad tirelessly and helped him move to be closer to her in Tennessee this last year.
Leonard is preceded in death by the love of his life, wife June Holder Fleming; his parents Leonard Bullock II and Nell Murphy Fleming; brother James Murphy Fleming; and daughter Laura Caroline Fleming.
Surviving Leonard are his daughter Hilary Fleming Fetch and husband Andrew; granddogs Bishop “MeatHead” and Remy “Beauty” of Knoxville, TN; grandson Conner Jackson of Virginia; nephew Jake Fleming of Maryland; and a host of relatives and friends as dear as family. Leonard was proud of his ancestry and revered any cousin, no matter how distantly related, as close as a sibling.
Nicknamed “Leg” during his wrestling days, Leonard’s personality was as large as his stature. He never met a stranger and collected treasured friends throughout his college nights working at the Attic in Greenville, his years working in transport, and his times traveling the country in his Blues Cruiser on the way to see the Nighthawks, Billy Price, and many others of his favorites. Once you made acquaintance with Leonard, you were welcomed immediately into his and June’s family, as all of Hilary’s friends learned through the years. Leonard was a proud pirate who faithfully tailgated at ECU games for over 25 years and passed that spirit on to his family.
A celebration of Leonard’s life is planned for the spring of 2025 when all of his loved ones are guaranteed some good (and LOUD!) live music. In lieu of any flowers or monetary donations, the family asks that Leonard’s memory be honored by sharing your favorite story of him, listening to your favorite music as loud as you can stand it, always surrounding yourselves with your dearest loved ones, and living life as authentically as possible. And always remember:
Life is short. Buy the damn concert ticket.
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