Essie Leonard

.Mrs. Essie Mildred Hedrick Leonard, 98, of the Greensboro Retirement Center, and formerly of Lexington, died Friday, January 2, 2009 after declining health. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, January 6 from the Piedmont Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Brian Alexander officiating. Burial will follow at Center Hill Baptist Church Cemetery. Mrs. Leonard was born December 27, 1910 in Davidson County to C.L. Hedrick and Ada Maddie Hartley Hedrick. She retired from Erlanger Mills after more than 25 years of service and was a member of Center Hill Baptist Church. Her husband, Odell M. Leonard, preceded her in death, as well as her brother, Robert Hedrick. Surviving are her son, Don Leonard of Greensboro; her grandchildren, Brenda Mull, Don W. Leonard, and Mike Leonard; six great grandchildren; six great great-grandchildren; and her brother, Bill Hartley of Lexington. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 PM Monday at Piedmont Funeral Home in Lexington.