Joe H. Leonard

Leonard, Dr. Joe H., passed away Saturday, February 26, 2011 at Parkwest Medical Center with his family by his side. Joe was born December 27, 1928 in Knoxville to the late R.H. and Nell Pritchard Leonard. Joe graduated from Young High School in 1946 and graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he belonged to the Phi Etta Sigma and Kappa Sigma Fraternities. Joe then graduated from the University of Tennessee, Memphis College of Medicine in 1952. Dr. Leonard then served as internship at John Gaston Hospital in Memphis, TN until 1954 when he became a Captain in the United States Air Force for two years and then served a residency in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania for two years. Dr. Leonard was on the staff at Long Beach Veterans’ Administration Hospital in California from 1958 to 1964 when he entered a private practice in Nephrology in Orange County, CA, starting the first successful Chronic Hemodialysis program in Orange County, CA. Dr. Leonard hen moved back to home to Knoxville in 1970 to continue in private practice and in 1974, he established and directed the first outpatient Chronic Hemodialysis unit in Knoxville, Fort Sanders Kidney Center of which he was Medical Director for 25 years. Dr. Leonard served as Medical Director of Rhom and Hass Company’s chemical plant in Knoxville from 1987 until his retirement in July of 1999. He was a member of First Christian Church, American Medical Association, Knoxville Academy of Medicine and Knoxville Society of Internal Medicine. Dr. Leonard was a caring, loving son, physician, husband, father, grandfather and brother. He was always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for his patients and all persons needing medical help. He had a quick, inventive mind and had received patents for a hemodializer, a volumetric flow meter and a Medicine Reminder, a device to aid patients in taking their medicine at the correct time. Dr. Leonard is survived by his loving wife, Janet; daughter, Alice Leonard Childress; grandson, Allen Douglas Brown who is presently serving in the U.S. Navy overseas and wife, Katie; grandson, Nicholas Irwin Childress; step-sons, Timothy Frank Reagan and Anthony (Tony) Gibson Reagan and step-grandson, Sawyer Anthony Reagan; brother, Robert H. (Bob) and wife, Marie; brother-in-law, Larry A. Eggers and wife, Ruth Ann; brother-in-law, Bill Dwyer and wife, Carol; sister-in-law, Helen Gallegos and numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces. A celebration of Dr. Joe Leonard’s life will be held 7:00 PM Thursday at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel with Dr. Carroll Wallace officiating. Family and friends will meet 11:30 AM Friday at Tennessee State Veterans’ Cemetery for an interment service. With full military honors presented by the Volunteer State Veterans’ Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Saint Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, donors@stjude.org. or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be sent www.rosemortuary.com. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:00 PM Thursday at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel.

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Joe H. Leonard

December 27, 1928 - February 26, 2011