]n JLobing ;ffmemorp of
®ur jfatber anb JLobeb ®ne
;!$lr. ~amuel JLeonarb
§prtl 19tb. 1949 - jfanuarp 12tb, 1995
Viewing- Davis Funeral Home 9:00a.m.- 12:00 noon
Funeral Service
Road Town Methodist Church
Service-2:00p.m. Saturday January 21st, 1995
Officiating Minister
Father Jack Whyte - St. Ursula's Roman Catholic Church
Deaconess Edris O'Neal Methodist Church
Organist Mr. Cedric Dawson
Interment Family Burial Ground at Sea Cows Bay
~urbibors
CoMPANION
Franka
SPECIAL CousiNS
DAUGHTERS
~aunda
Julia Leonard, Joy Leonard
Leonard, David Leonard, Ramona Richards
SPECIA'L FRIENDS
SoNs
Ricardo Leonard (Sammy), Sheldon Leonard
Christina Yates, M/M Fletcher Scatliffe, M/M Archibald
Christian, Baba Gene & Phyllis, Hanaro Family, The Skelton
SISTER
family, The De C~tro Family, The O'Neal-Henderson F~mily,
Bernice Tobin
M/M Derick Gumbs, M/}.1 Anthony Richardson, Carol &
BROTHERS
Charlie Williams, Ed & Sandy, Milo of St Thomas, other close
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Ariel Leonard, Ludel Leonard
international friends, all the people of Virgin Gorda and the BY!,
BROTHER IN LAW
many, many, many relatives and friends too numerous to me!iltion
Sargeant Ronald Tobin
SISTER IN LAW
flail TJjearers
Francine Leonard
NIECES
Alvin Horton, Fletchet Scatliffe, Clifton Skelton, Archiba:lcl
Janice Willock, Persia Tobin
Christian, Gene Maduro, Kaunda Leonard
NEPHEWS
Kelvin Willock, Julian Willock, Jeffery Willock, Glenroy
iobin, Wade Tobin, Elton Leonard, Shaun Leonard
r!)onorarp flail TJjearers
GREAT NIECES
Jamie Joseph, Kadisha Willock
Ricardo Leonard, Kelvin Willock, David Leonard, Ariel
IN LAWS
Leol;lard, Anthony Richardson, Wayne Tobin, Derrick Gumbs,
Captain Elwin Flax and Family
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SPECIAL AUNT
Mrs. Christiana Thomas
Glenroy Tobin, Julian Skelton, Jeffrey Willock, Hanarol ChristoP,her, Eric Christiap, Lincoln Strawn, Herbert George, Sydney
George, Ruben Thomas, Sbaun Leonanf, Elton Leonard, Charles
Williams-Valley Sound Lions Club, Julian WiUock, Sargeant,
AUNTS
Mrs. Gracilia Callwood, Mrs. Glance-Ann Smith
Ronald Tobin, Mr: Ed Silvers, Ronnie Skelton
UNCLES
John Thomas, Calton Leonard
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Pa~e
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<fulogp
Mr. Samuel Leonard, affectionately known as Sam, was born
to Captain Joshua Leonard, and his w~fe Mrs. Olive Olivia
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Mercer Leonard, on 19th April, 1949. fie was the fourth child of
five children.
Sam a true lover of life1 lived his life to the fullest: Bis young
and tender years were spent with hi,s family ~t their home in ~ea
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Cow's Bay.. Even before the age 'of seven Sam demomstrated
to the
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frustration of his mother the level of his creativity
as an inc;li,
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vidual. He has often told his children the story of when he was
about five years old and first saw aeroplanes flying. He th<!>ught
they were men with wings in the sky. So he decided, if he should
then make some wings like a bird, he should be able to do th~
same thing. So he got his supplies of cardboard, knives, strings
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and whatever else he thought was necessary to do the Job. H~
then proceeded to create his wings and then went to,the top of
the family home, tied his wings to his hands, and feet. Sam then
took off, only to lanq in one of the trees in the yard. He was
knocked out unconscious, later waking up to a frustrated but
relieved mother, grandmother and sister, standing over him
rubbing dqwn with every bush remedy the,y cou.ld think of.
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His dear mbther passed on while he was at the tend~r age of
seven; yet he reine~bered her with lov~ and affeqion. His
maternal Grandmother and many other close relatives immtldiately stepped in to help in \Vhat ever way they co1,1ld in ~he lives
of Sam his other brothers and sister. He has since atways talked
about both of his graL1dmothers, his aunl:s, other relah'ves and
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family friends respectfu)Jy and a,ffectioti.attlly.
He received his first years of educa~ion from the Sea Cow's
Bay Primary School, then moved O!il the Road Town Elbmentaty
School, finishing school at the age of 14l Captain Joshua ~mmedi
ately sent his son to learn a trade W~th the late· Brothf'!r Joshua
Smith. Sam served a sh~r~ apprenticeshiR with Brother Smith
before moving on. He ha<;l already picked up a great deal of
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•sailing ~kills horn spend'in~ 4a~ on·en~ with hi$ Qad and
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b~othj:!rS at ~e~, Spit was easy for him to ieave with'qte l;;tte
Captain Cf.lrl,toJ de Castro £or. six years at,sea. ~'ere, Sam
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care of Sammy, and he did. His son Sammy, even Pefore the•loss
of his mother and, more so rt.fter, lite'GllllY' became his ~~r·~ tail.
Once schoo\ was out, if you had seen Sam, Sammy was ~ot very
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lj>eca~e the cook and the mate to the cai?tairt. Sa m is StB~d toi have
far behind; he was either a.Sleep or sick. His next SQP Sheldon
1p~e~ hiS ~~b, e~pecially p~ing the cod~- Now ·ap,y one who knows
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*-'ill:kiiow that a belly full was essential, three times a day
was born on 15th Novernbet1 1980. Aft~t ·moving In with his Da,d
'Salrt wovld cook up a stqrm, take out a olarge portion ~d hide it
ta~ls. ~ammy, being more c~ abou,t the he<~:vy equipment
~'vli-X; then share eve,ryone e~e's, while making tertain that
operations, where he has learnt a gteat deal about the operations
Captain ~aHton saw the modest portion he had, only to return
from his Dad. ,Sh'eldon, however, enjoyed the boats and sailing.
when it was saf~ to finisH off ~at larg~r portion in his pe~n~l
~en on Zlst March 1~91, God gave Sam and Franka their
hide b;ut area,s. He will be (erne"ilbered by many of h~ comparl~
second bubbling pack of joy. Sam was a man that simply loved his
1ions on th~ Tropic $~ as a trut; sea dog, nic1ffi~med joker and a
children around him. They simply were not aro~nd often enough.
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qroth~ifrlv. fqtertd.I
in ~985, Sheldon joined Sammy on the trai)., then Sam had two
Even though Julie was with her mpm in Tortola, h~t bedroom was
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It was durin~ this petlid~ at sea that Sa,rp further developed his
there to be filled every vacation' and many weekends. Likewi&e,
nl).·viga~ic;>~ apd other sailing skills. ;the&e s~ills he later used'oply
Sam expecfed her to come .and fill them whenever those times
for h's ~Jn\• perso~at enj~ym~nt, ~· that ofl\i~ fam,lly. He ha~
~l}~aQy began' fo ~el).C};t ~IS son Samt,iiy to ,be a true sea dog.
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f,\(ter sail~g pn ,the I'~'Ppi'c, Star" Sam began to saJl with
came around. Nothing gave him more pleasure than to sit with
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~aPt~ i~ Elwip flax. tl;}uripg i}.is years 01 s'aif~, ~ari touc~ed base
with man,y Cari~an Jslat}ds.I-J~ childr~ hav~
al\Vays ~~etyl}
jltlla!z~d thoaG 1,10 mabter which island t4ev ;would '&a.i~ to, th~ir
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his children around his knee, telling thetn stories about his life,
family ~q friends, while having them bursting at their seams
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with laughter.
l)e word "talented" seems to b~ inadequate to express the
true nature of this man. He also fits perfectly into the desc.~ipttob
Daddy,kn~w at least one lper~RP there still aliv,e find ,could tell
of what is often termed "a self-made mffil". Julie had often asked
them stories o( different are~
ri these islands h~ took them
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r - t.o
hiqt,
visit', recalling what he was do.ing there and' even th~ ac,tual years.
Sam alWays srt.id,lt!h~t it was Captain Flax that brou~t him to
Vi~g~ Dorda. While there he began to wo~k at Little Pix Bay
~btd an~ Marina. It was there in 1967 he met and fell in love
~i~h Mrs~ 1 ~ydia Lettsofl\e Jackson' and later on in 1~0, they ~ad
!,lis (it~t b'orn,~ulie. Then in 19?4, Samll\arried his dear wife, the
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l~f~ Mrs. Joap Flax Leonard1 second .da,~gP,te;·~f~~~pi.n aqd,
Mjrs;
~lwin .Fl,atc.. Joan ha'd Sam's first "fo sons, the elqe~~ c;if
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\v~ch passed away soon after birth ~nd ~.h!1 secqnd! Ric~do,
Sam11el ueonard, in 1~~6. Sadly~ Sa~ lOs.t his wife to oillqes5 at the
yo~I}g age of ~?i~~1~~e ~~s): He pt9ffit,sed her that he would 1!alce
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f'Jiow did you leam w do ail these traits of heavy·equipment
work, mechanics, 1-rohi~Jtutre, civll engineering, and rnusical
abilitie~ of playing the piano, organ, guitar and base?'' He would
read a ~ittl~, J.atche~ and learnt some things,
dften reply, "I h~'ve
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all in the process of teaching my~elf." She would believe him
~ith sotne suspiciot'ls and unanswered questions. It was only in
1992, she asked'him, for a cotni>uter, and he teplied, "I am getting
one too, so we will ~e who will learn the most, the fastest!" The
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year afte~; they both had a computer and in the stUqio they set off.
to demqnstrat<J meir ~cquired ;~.bilities of all the things ~hey could
<lo oq. comp1,1ter, after which she humbly replied, "Well, I bet you
cap'~ type faster than me!" He simply said, "Give rri~ atf'ew
months and we will get back to that."
During Sam's early days of sailing with Captain Carltonj he
His heavy equipment, architectural, mechanical and civil
engineering skills were learnt by his sheer persistence, patience,
started his musical career by teaching himself how to play the
and God given talent that is needed for an individual to stand,
guitar. Many times when he picked it up to practise, Captain
look, apply and learn. He was always open to learning absolutely
everything.
Carlton would say such comments of the essence, "Boy, put down
that thing from making noise in my head, you will never learn
Sam, you will be remembered as some one who knew what
how to play it." It was comments with negative flavour such as
you wanted, and if you did not know there and then, you would
these that he sincerely and tirelessly apologized to him later,
simply eventually figure out the way to get it. You lived your life
when to his pleasant surprise he proved him wrong. He later
to the fullest as you believed it should be lived. If, or whenever
taught himself how to play the keyboard instruments and bass,
you had a problem, the world would not know. for you always
and started to sing more seriously. He then began to share his
gave out joy, laughter and thus happiness. There were always the
inspiration of forming a band and singing with his Aunt Christia-
kind words, the genuine smile and thoughtfulness. It simply
na Thomas, affectionately known as Auntie Shanna. She at first
appeared that once the sun was shining and your stomach full, no
thought it was amusing that pe wanted to do such, but shared her
matter what, life simply couldn't have be'e n better.
concerns about him being' able to truly sing. So he actually
showed her by holding a concert and having her come up to see
him and the boys perform, and she was converted. She then
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immediately gave both her emotional and financial support to
the band. It was on such foundation he was able to form the
band, kn0wn as "The Vibrations". With this band, he wrote and
The Creator has given us a wealth of friends and a caring
family who have been generous in support and kindness. We are
arranged a number of songs and music, to which the most well
deeply humble and appreciative of your sincere and warm
known are, "Don't Let No Other Man Fool You" and "I Thank
generosity during the time of our bereavement.
God for the Angel, That He Sent Me from Abovf~· This band
had the privlledge of touring throughout the Caribbean on such
May God's Richest Blessing be with You.
Brother Lenny & Family
tours as the "Caribe Fiesta" and many more. They also had the
priviledge of backing up and touring with many interrta~ional
Caribbe1m artists, such as Sparrow, Milo and the Kings, Arrow,
Sam, my beloved brother, why did you leave me so soon? I
remembered the fun days we had while growing up. You always
King Short Shirt, and Star Black. In 1976 the band ~ent to
brought joy to my heart and was someone I could talk to at
Canada, held performances and cut their first and only record in
anytime. Your parting has caused me much grief, anguish and
Manta Sound Studios, Toronto, Canada. Eventually, each band
pain. But sleep on my dear brother, until we meet again, where
we never depart.
member became rroductiv~ at other things and moved on.
However, Sam continued with his music and later on , formed
Bemice Tobin, Sister
the band "Sam's Brass", then eventually he became what the
Virgin Gordians liked to cali him "Sam's one man band."
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