Our Founders
Everett Alton Leonard, Jr.
1876 – 1944
Source: Obituary – Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Everett Alton Leonard, Jr. was born near Liberty Hill in Tazewell County August 15. 1876, and died May 29, 1944. He affiliated with Bluefield Hardware Company in 1902 as a salesman. He moved to Bluefield in 1904 and continued as a salesman for the firm for several years. He later took an executive position with the company and had been president of the firm since 1917.
Mr. Leonard was also a director of the First National Bank of Bluefield and the Oakwood Smokeless Coal Corporation. He had other business Interests as well.
He had taken a very active part in the work of the Masonic fraternity and was affiliated with all its branches. He has served as treasurer of the local lodge for many years and was a past commander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templars, West Virginia, and was also one of the Trustees of the Masonic Trust association. He enjoyed a statewide acquaintanceship.
Terminating a long Illness which had it’s beginning decade ago, Mr. Leonard, long prominent in the business, fraternal and social life of Bluefield died yesterday morning at 6 o’clock at B1uefield Sanitarium. He was 67 years of age.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon at the Leonard residence, 2002 Jefferson Street, at 2:30 o’clock conducted by the Rev, C. V. Cook, pastor of the First Baptist church. Burial will be in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery; The Masons will have charge of the service.
Mr. Leonard had continued his duties as president of the Bluefield Hardware company and his other business activities up to the time of his death, despite his rapidly declining health. He be became critically ill several days ago and was removed to the sanitarium Thursday.
He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Dean Hosmer of Bluefield, and one sister Mrs. W. N Hendricks of Lebanon, Va.
Mrs. Leonard, who before marriage was Miss Eleanor Fields of Castlewood VA, died in 1943.
The death of Mr. Leonard is a great loss to the city of Bluefield where he has resided for about forty years, taking a most active part in the business, fraternal and social life of the community. He was a man of high ideals and possessed with those sterling traits of character which had won for him the highest esteem of the people of this community.