Jun. 14—Former longtime courthouse fixture Judge Joe Leonard III died on Wednesday at the age of 79. Leonard served Hunt County first as the county attorney in 1983, followed by a 10-year stint as county court-at-law judge from 1984 to 1994 and finally as the 196th District Court judge from 1995 to 2010.

A celebration of life service is planned for at 2 p.m. this Thursday at United Presbyterian Church, 5905 Stonewall St. in Greenville.

Leonard was born Oct. 25, 1944 and grew up in Gainesville, Texas the son of Joe Means Leonard Jr. and Mary Sue Davis Leonard. His great-grandfather was the founder of the Gainesville Daily Register, a sister publication to the Herald-Banner.

He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1962 and from the University of Texas in 1966. He joined the U.S. Navy and went to officer candidate school. He served in Vietnam aboard the USS Manley DD-940 as the anti-submarine warfare officer and when he finished his service in the Navy, returned to UT in 1970 to attend law school.

After initially practicing law in Dallas, Leonard moved to Greenville with his wife, Sharon, where he joined Jack Hart law firm. After 1983 he spent the rest of his career serving the residents of Hunt County.

For several years he hosted Christmas dinners for children in foster care and was instrumental in bringing CASA to fruition in Hunt County. Leonard was a member of the Greenville Lions Club for 40-plus years and served as president. He was also active with the Boy Scouts of America.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years and by his son, Dan Leonard, and wife Kimberly; his daughter, Rachel Cisneros, and her husband Tony; and his grandchildren Isaac and Nate Cisneros and Zach and Elizabeth Leonard.