His story began on a Saturday in February 1944 in the small farm town of Milbank, South Dakota where he was born to Claude and Ruth Leonard. Claude worked in the printing business and Ruth was a ranch girl. “Lanny” as his family would call him, joined his sister Miriam and later on joined by sisters Bonnie and Lori, and later on brother Phil.
The Leonard family would make their way to Willmar, Minnesota, where he grew up fascinated with sports: baseball, football, basketball, track, you name it. He like many boys growing up in the 50s stuck Mickey Mantle baseball cards in the spokes of his bike and even spent many days working in his dad’s print shop.
But there was one thing that stood out from the rest: His whole family loved God. God came first, then everything else. His parents showed him how to give grace, be gentle and kind, and put others first. These are the things that are the hallmark of his legacy and led him to the biggest decision of his life, giving his life to Christ. This was the first step towards a life lead by his savior that would excite him to wake up every morning before the chickens and read his Bible. Studying the word every day made him into one of the best Bible resources you would ever know.
He would graduate from Willmar High School in 1962 and move on to graduate from Bethel College in 1966 which led him, along with the start of the Vietnam war, to pursue another fascination: flight.
He joined the United States Air Force in 1967 and earned his wings in pilot training school at Vance Air Force base in Enid, Oklahoma. This is where he was nicknamed “Phantom” by his squadron, because when he wasn’t flying, he was holed up in his barracks sleeping.
And this is also where he would spot that pretty, red headed nurse at church one Sunday morning, Mary Lee. Nevermind that he was going out with the choir director’s daughter at the time.
They fell in love and were married nine months later on October 12, 1968 in her hometown of Del City, Oklahoma. Just a couple of kids, in love, heading into a big, brave new world.
Life in the military is always a logistical challenge: moving from place to place, traveling the world, but also spending extended time away from one another, due to training and going on alerts.
Captain Leonard was sent to Vietnam in 1969 where he piloted KC-135s and C-7s for three years, refueling jets, delivering ammo and troops, being shot at a few times, and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in evacuating soldiers.
By 1972, he was back in the states and stationed at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. That’s when, Paul, came into the picture. He loved flying, but with a family now, he knew it was time to move on. He left the air force and moved to Dallas and stepped into insurance. Not his first choice for a career, but it was a solid job that would more than provide for the rest of his life.
After the brief stop in Texas, the family moved to Minnesota and in 1976, Blake, was born. The family settled in Brooklyn Center for the next thirteen years.
Mom worked many nights as a nurse and that’s when dad would jump into action, making meals that sometimes consisted of a plate with a pile of ground hamburger, some corn, and a mound of mac n cheese. Very colorful.
He would also put his kids to bed most every night with a story from an illustrated Bible and helping them memorize Bible verses. This would serve as a foundation for his children’s faith and the undeniable legacy he would leave behind.
On the last day of 1979, Jennifer was born and we were on to the 80s which consisted of many different hair and mustache styles, but the same approach: putting people first. He served diligently at church, supported his family, and was a great friend to so many.
The family went on many memorable vacations to the rockies, the Canadian rockies, New York City, Disney World, Washington D.C., California, and Hawaii to name a few.
Hobbies were always a big thing with him, too: coin collecting, model rockets, photography. It wouldn’t be odd to see the family on a hot Sunday afternoon standing in their front yard in full Sunday best, posing with indoor furniture as subjects for his photography classwork.
Sports were always big at the Leonard house: watching the Vikings, Twins, Gophers, and Timberwolves was always a mixed bag of emotions that sometimes ended with yelling at the TV, but always fun.Thank the good Lord for the Twins World Series championships and the Minneapolis Miracle as a last hurrah.
He also had a fascination for biking. He loved biking. He took his family on many bike rides over the years. They would ride down through Minneapolis and around the lakes many times. In fact, he and Blake, would make a 100 mile bike ride to his hometown, Willmar, and later on, the 150 mile trek to Duluth. Biking was something he did his whole life and loved to do, even to the day he died. You could say, he rode his bike right into heaven.
Dad’s faith, selflessness, humility, and loyalty made him a rock for many. Mary, was diagnosed with breast cancer, and he was there every step of the way, faithfully taking her to the hospital for treatments, caring for her at home, and praying without ceasing. Mom declared victory over breast cancer, only to be diagnosed with sarcoma in her leg years later. He was there again, supporting her through it all. Another victory. And years later, another diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Same old, Lantz. Supporting her again. As automatic as the sunrise. Another win. 3-0 ain’t a bad record.
He provided the same support to Blake and Karen in the difficult in-utero death of his first grandson.
When Paul encountered a different battle, the battle of a difficult divorce, he was there to help.
Sometimes it was offering what solutions and what support he could offer, and sometimes it was just listening and praying diligently for God to heal the world’s hurts and brokenness.
And it’s to no surprise that when Jen was diagnosed with Leukemia, that he was right there again: taking her to treatments, taking care of the grandkids, being his usual self.
He was always there. Always.
In 1990, they moved to Plymouth and the years began to roll by with kids graduating from high school and college, retiring from insurance, taking up flying again, and grandkids: Madison, Sydney, Owen, Ryder, Sawyer, and Colin. All part of a continued legacy: three children who follow Jesus, with three kids-in-law that follow Jesus in Amanda, Karen, and Juhl, and six grandkids who have decided to follow Jesus. Not to mention countless others he helped find Christ through Billy Graham and other ministries. God is good.
They moved around the last 15 years with stops in Montrose, Chanhassen, and finally Carver where he loved to dote on Mary, spend time with his grandkids, road trip across the country, and bike.
When we think back, time with him floods our memories: shooting baskets with his sons on the driveway, posing for pictures with his daughter’s dolls, helping his parents and brothers and sisters in times of need, making us all laugh with a funny face or dance, watching him kiss and hold his wife in the kitchen.
2018 marks 50 years of wedded bliss for Lantz and Mary and was celebrated last month in Colorado surrounded by his whole family. They sat looking and laughing at pictures of a life well-lived. It was the last night that most of us would see him. How appropriate for a man who loved his family, but didn’t want the attention, instead just wanted to keep doing what he was supposed to do.
We are sad because we will all miss him here on earth, but we are also full of hope, because we will see him again and because we know where he is. A place he longed to be, in the presence with his Creator, singing and dancing in praise. We will leave you with one of his favorite verses from the Apostle Paul, that speaks to who he was:
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:6-7
Photos: Dad | Homegoing | Colorado 2018
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