Virginia Forward Leonard

Mrs. Leonard was born August 18, 1927 in Washington DC and was the daughter of John S. Forward and Amy Carr Forward. In 1945 she graduated from High Point Central High School and in 1949 she earned a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While there she was the Special Features Editor for The Daily Tar Heel and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. After graduation Mrs. Leonard married her college classmate, Lawrence Sechler Leonard. Mrs. Leonard furthered her education with a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and taught elementary education at Union Hill Elementary for eighteen years.

Virginia, along with her husband and sons, traveled the USA visiting 49 states and parts of Canada. Virginia was a member of First United Methodist Church of High Point and was active with the Parson's Table and the Hays Bible Class.

Mrs. Leonard was predeceased by her husband, Lawrence Sechler Leonard, who died May 12, 2010. Surviving are three sons, Dr. Daniel Lawrence Leonard and his wife Lu of Asheville, John Lawrence Leonard and his wife Lynn of Helena, AL; and Timothy Glen Leonard and his wife Kathy of Sugar Grove. Grandchildren are Jennifer, Jonathan, Kenji, Amy, Lawrence T., Elizabeth and Hallie Leonard. Great Grandchildren are Josie, Benjamin, and Millicent Leonard. Mrs. Leonard is also survived by a sister, Elaine Forward Lyerly of Winston Salem. Mrs. Leonard was very fond of all her many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church conducted by the Reverend Chris Fitzgerald and Reverend Fran Moran. Interment will follow in Floral Garden Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church on Tuesday one hour prior to the service, beginning at 1:00 p.m. until service time at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First United Methodist Church Television Ministry, 512 North Main St., High Point, NC 27260.