Leeb Obit

Howard Leeb was born in 1930 in Illinois, but he grew up mainly in Los Angeles. He once commented that he remembered when the San Fernando Valley was full of orange groves instead of Orange Juliuses. He served in the Army during the Korean War, and later went on to graduate from Wayne State University in Michigan, where he met and married Judy Segal. He and Judy became members of the Baha'i Faith in the early 60's, and this faith led them to pioneer in Colombia in1967, taking their three young daughters Linda, Patricia and Deborah with them.

 

While in Colombia, Howard and Judy had another child, Amoz. Howard joined the US Foreign Service, which took him to many other places in the world, including Pakistan immediately after the Iranian Revolution, where he was able to be of great assistance to many Bahá'í refugees fleeing persecution in Iran. He was in a unique position to provide invaluable information to the State Department on this then-unknown religion and its situation and history in Iran, saving countless lives.  He served his country and his Faith with distinction in Venezuela, Pakistan, Brazil, Mozambique, and Panama.

 

When Judy died in 1983, Howard married Ruth Fair, extending his family to include her daughters Jennifer and Rebecca. After retirement, he and Ruth lived in southwest Virginia, and later in Athens, Georgia. Widowed once again in 2011, Howard moved to the Atlanta area, where he lived until his death from a massive brain aneurysm on July 18, 2015.

 

Howard was a gentle, brilliant, kind man, who was widely loved and admired by all who met him.

 

Howard's accomplishments in service to his faith and country are superseded only by his success in creating a warm, loving family. He is deeply loved by his four children, two stepchildren, and nine grandchildren.  He will be missed for the rest of their lives.

 

Funeral Services for Mr. Leeb will be held Monday, July 20, 2015, 2:00 PM, at the Chapel of Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home, 1215 Access Road, in Covington, with Linda Leeb Duper officiating, and interment following in Lawnwood Memorial Park.