Public visitation details for Meigs County deputy
Robert "R.J." Leonard
MEIGS COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — Community members will be honoring a deputy who went missing while on duty in Meigs County.
Deputy Robert “R.J.” Leonard died on Thursday, Feb. 15 when he was returning from an arrest.
Meigs County Deputy, Robert “R.J” Leonard passed away in an accident on Feb. 15, 2024. Decatur Funerals and Cremations shared his obituary on their website. Image courtesy of the Decatur Funeral Home.
The accident also claimed the life of Tabitha Smith, who was in the backseat of the patrol car.
The details of her arrangements have not been released.
As for 35-year-old Deputy Leonard, there will be a public visitation Monday at Meigs County High School.
The visitation will be open from 4 to 7 p.m.
A funeral service will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday in the Meigs County High School Gymnasium.
On Tuesday, Feb. 20, there will be a funeral procession, beginning at 12:15 p.m. from the Decatur Funeral Home.
Interment will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday in the Decatur Cemetery.
The public is asked to line the processional route, as a tribute to the deputy.
MORE INFORMATION:
“The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office has requested the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office release the funeral details regarding Deputy Robert Leonard.
There will be a public visitation for Deputy Leonard on Monday, February 19, 2024 at the Meigs County High School located at 105 Abel Avenue in Decatur, Tennessee from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, a funeral procession will leave the Decatur Funeral Home located at 163 Arrants Road at 12:15 pm and follow a specific route to the Decatur Cemetery where a graveside funeral for Deputy Leonard will take place. The Decatur Cemetery is located off Abel Avenue in front of the Meigs County High School. There will not be any funeral services or visitation held at the Decatur Funeral Home on Tuesday prior to the graveside service. The route of the funeral procession is listed below.
Due to the limited size of the processional route and parking at the cemetery, law enforcement, fire department, and other public safety personnel, along with the public, are requested to help line the processional route as tribute to Deputy Leonard. At the cemetery, only limited, specific parking will be available for family and friends. Any members of the public or public safety personnel attending the graveside service will need to park outside of the cemetery and walk in.
The funeral procession will take the following route:
Leave Decatur Funeral Home at 12:15 pm on Arrants Road
From Arrants Road they will merge right on River Road briefly and then Left on Highway 58
From Highway 58 the procession will turn right on Z Street and then right on Main Street.
From Main Street, the procession will turn right onto Abel Avenue and take the 2nd entrance into the Decatur Cemetery
Please continue to keep the family, friends, and colleagues of Deputy Leonard in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.”
If you would like to donate to the family of Deputy Leonard, you can visit this fundraiser online.
