Individual Details
Jeryl Dean "Geri" Leonard
(29 Oct 1940 - 12 Feb 2013)
COALING - Geri Leonard Champion, age 72, of Coaling, went to dance with her Heavenly Father February 12, 2013. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at First Wesleyan Church in Tuscaloosa with Pastor John Vaughan and Pastor Joel Gorveatte officiating. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South directing. Visitation will be tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. at First Wesleyan Church.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Evelyn Della Gilbert Chesnutt; her father, James "Buck" Carl Leonard; a half-brother, Sam Leonard; a great-nephew, Joshua Basham; and her grandparent.
Survivors include her loving husband, James T. "Buddy" Champion; her daughter, Nedral Champion McGee; her son, Nathan Leonard Champion (Krista); two sisters, Jimmie Leonard Dutton (Howard) and Kandi Chesnutt Nolen; half-brother and sisters, Carla Leonard Lopez, Suzanna Leonard-Rios, kay Leonard, and Danny Leonard; four grandchildren, James Marc "Gee" McGee (Heather). Jon Wesley McGee (Deana),Allie Aubrey Champion, and Mary Evelyn Champion; one great-grandchild, Ryder Wesley McGee; two step-great-grandchildren,Emalee Jade Racowitz and Aiden James McGee; brothers and sisters-in-law, Charlene Champion Collins, Glenn Champion (Araina), Billy Champion (Martha), Rendill Champion, Dexter Champion (Shirley),and Florenda Champion Shakir (Riz); nephews and nieces, Darlene Dutton, Jeff Dutton (Joyce),Ginger Dutton, and Kaila Nolen; numerous aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces-in-law, great-nephews and great-nieces, and cousins she loved dearly; and special friends, Cecilia Reece and Dottie Pittman
Mrs. Geri was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend. She is loved by many and always had a smile and a joke for everyone she met. She has many children whom she loved and cared for throughout the years, and she will forever be remembered as a great storyteller. She had an awesome love for her Lord and Savior and wished for nothing than to dance, run, and skip through Heaven's gates.
Pallbearers will be Steve Meggs, Kevin Brown, Marlon Boshell, Dylan Elmore, Matt Champion, Jamey Champion, Clark Champion, and Roger Champion.
Honorary pallbearers are friends at Firist Wesleyan Church; members of the New Beginnings Sunday School class; Karaoke friends from The Pottery Grill in Cottondale; and Twix and
Tween in Centreville; Frist Wesleyan Daycare employees, children, and parents; lifetime friends from Cottondale Methodist Church; the family of Buddy and Carolyn McGee of Cottondale; friends and employees of Key Staff; administrators, doctors, nurses, and staff of DCH Regional Medical Center; special ACCU nurses and staff; and Dr. Gene Alldredge.
Published in Tuscaloosa news from Feb 15 to Feb 16,2013
She was preceded in death by her mother, Evelyn Della Gilbert Chesnutt; her father, James "Buck" Carl Leonard; a half-brother, Sam Leonard; a great-nephew, Joshua Basham; and her grandparent.
Survivors include her loving husband, James T. "Buddy" Champion; her daughter, Nedral Champion McGee; her son, Nathan Leonard Champion (Krista); two sisters, Jimmie Leonard Dutton (Howard) and Kandi Chesnutt Nolen; half-brother and sisters, Carla Leonard Lopez, Suzanna Leonard-Rios, kay Leonard, and Danny Leonard; four grandchildren, James Marc "Gee" McGee (Heather). Jon Wesley McGee (Deana),Allie Aubrey Champion, and Mary Evelyn Champion; one great-grandchild, Ryder Wesley McGee; two step-great-grandchildren,Emalee Jade Racowitz and Aiden James McGee; brothers and sisters-in-law, Charlene Champion Collins, Glenn Champion (Araina), Billy Champion (Martha), Rendill Champion, Dexter Champion (Shirley),and Florenda Champion Shakir (Riz); nephews and nieces, Darlene Dutton, Jeff Dutton (Joyce),Ginger Dutton, and Kaila Nolen; numerous aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces-in-law, great-nephews and great-nieces, and cousins she loved dearly; and special friends, Cecilia Reece and Dottie Pittman
Mrs. Geri was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend. She is loved by many and always had a smile and a joke for everyone she met. She has many children whom she loved and cared for throughout the years, and she will forever be remembered as a great storyteller. She had an awesome love for her Lord and Savior and wished for nothing than to dance, run, and skip through Heaven's gates.
Pallbearers will be Steve Meggs, Kevin Brown, Marlon Boshell, Dylan Elmore, Matt Champion, Jamey Champion, Clark Champion, and Roger Champion.
Honorary pallbearers are friends at Firist Wesleyan Church; members of the New Beginnings Sunday School class; Karaoke friends from The Pottery Grill in Cottondale; and Twix and
Tween in Centreville; Frist Wesleyan Daycare employees, children, and parents; lifetime friends from Cottondale Methodist Church; the family of Buddy and Carolyn McGee of Cottondale; friends and employees of Key Staff; administrators, doctors, nurses, and staff of DCH Regional Medical Center; special ACCU nurses and staff; and Dr. Gene Alldredge.
Published in Tuscaloosa news from Feb 15 to Feb 16,2013
Events
| Birth | 29 Oct 1940 | Cordova, Walker County, Alabama | |||
| Census (family)-shared | 17 Apr 1950 | (James Carl Leonard and Della Evelyn Gilbert) Cottondale, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama |  |  | |
| Marriage | 19 Sep 1953 | Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi - James Tendril Champion | |||
| Death | 12 Feb 2013 | Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama | |||
| Burial | Tuscaloosa Memorial Park, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama | |
Families
| Spouse | James Tendril Champion (1937 - ) |
| Child | Nedral Lynn Champion (1959 - 2015) |
| Child | Living |
| Father | James Carl Leonard (1917 - 1999) |
| Mother | Della Evelyn Gilbert (1917 - 1997) |
| Sibling | Jimmie Darlene Leonard (1937 - 2016) |
Notes
Census (family)-shared
James Carl Leonard Husband M 32 years Alabama - Drives truck, retail grocery storeEvelyn Leonard Wife F 32 years Alabama - Check Flat Work, laundry
Jimmie Darlene Leonard Daughter F 12 years Alabama
Geraldine Leonard Daughter F 9 years Alabama
Endnotes
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