RAY DON LEATHERWOOD
It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Ray Don Leatherwood, age 60, of Alvin, Texas, while at home with family by his side. Ray Don Leatherwood left us on Oct. 16, 2022, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a quiet, but adventurous, young man. He set his mind on something and followed through. He lived a daring life from bull riding to dirt bike racing (he was State Champion of Texas Enduro Circuit while in high school) to jumping out of perfectly good planes. As his cousin, Angie, said, “You see, he’s the real deal. He’s a veteran (Airborne Ranger); he’s a stunt man…in his younger days, he liked to ride bulls and motor cross… yes,for fun.He just may be the toughest, closest guy to Clint Eastwood I know.”
Howard Ray Don Leatherwood was born on June 24, 1962, to Ray and Jo Ann Stanley Leatherwood in Lakewood, Calif. He graduated from Childress High School in 1981 and joined the Army immediately thereafter. Upon completion of Basic Training, he served three years in Germany. He completed Army Ranger Training at Ft. Benning, Ga. and was stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. with the 82nd Airborne Division and was a jumpmaster. While there, he met his wife, Captain Leslie Ann Bryant, who was also stationed at Ft. Bragg and just happened, by chance, to live next door. He served in Iraq during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm campaign, where he received many commendations,including the Bronze Star. After sixteen and half years of service, the Army was going to put him behind a desk, so he retired. This was a hard decision for him because he took pride in his military service. He retired with the rank of Sergeant First Class. He and his family moved to Valle de Oro, Texas, north of Amarillo, Texas. He graduated from the police academy at South Plains College in Levelland,Texas.He was then employed by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Oldham County Sheriff’s Department. After five years with the sheriff’s department, they moved to Somerset, Ky., where he began a career with the United States Postal Service. They became grandparents, and he decided to transfer to a post office closer to the grandkids.
His hobbies were fishing, dirt bike riding and his grandchildren, not necessarily in that order. He taught his granddaughter, Allie, to fish and ride a dirt bike. Luke is not quite old enough yet. Allie and Luke are the “apple of his eye.”
Ray Don was preceded in death by his grandparents and several aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife, Leslie; son Ian and wife Kimberly; granddaughter Allie; grandson Luke; father Ray; mother Jo Ann; brother Joe and fiancé Lisa Mendoza; brother Scot; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Services were held at the Veterans Funeral Services in Houston, Texas on Oct. 20, 2022. Burial followed at Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite veterans or cancer research organization.
