Leonidas Milton Leathers III

Leathers’ reputation as a raconteur sprang from local tales he often gleaned from his mother, Sarah Pharr Erwin Leathers, and his grandmother, Camilla McWhorter Erwin. He enhanced those anecdotes with an astonishing memory for details and a deft sense of humor accompanied by a combustive laugh.

Leathers fulfilled a spectrum of roles in the lives of others. Beyond being a devoted husband and proud father and grandfather, he was a local historian and community booster. He was a jokester, life-of-the-party bon vivant, an adventurer, ever-ready road-trip companion, curious etymologist and likely best friend to many.

Leathers applied his curiosity as historian to a chapter he authored for the book, “The Tangible Past in Athens, Georgia,” published in 2014.  Book editor Charlotte Marshall praised his contribution: “Milton combined a lifetime of absorbing family history and lore, living among generations of family possessions, researching many sources and communicating with fellow Cobb descendants to give us ‘Twenty-five Cobb Family Houses.’ Milton was a Renaissance man,” Marshall continued, “and golden-hearted.”

Leathers was active in historical circles.  He was past president of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation (now Historic Athens) and the Historic Cobbham Foundation. He served as a board member of the Athens Historical Society and was a frequent speaker at civic events and at funerals delivering eulogies. He also wrote occasional features for Flagpole. Leathers was always immensely proud of his hometown, characterizing it as “diverse and appealing…known for its vibrancy, erudition and good living.”

 “Milton set the example for how to care for your community,” Lee Epting wrote of his long-time friend, “to engage in shaping its culture, to have fun as a grown up and to make friends from all walks of life.  He was truly interested in every aspect of your life.  He cared.”

Leathers’ career was initially tied to L.M. Leathers & Sons, a Pulaski Street manufacturing and metal fabrication company. At 23, he joined the U.S. Army’s 500th Military Intelligence Service Group and was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i, as a Russian translator. In Hawai’i he also did stints as a public high-school teacher and truck driver. After he retired, Leathers served two years with the Amity Institute as an English teacher in China. He also worked for the University of Georgia Library in development.

His education was diverse.  He attended Athens public schools and graduated from Baylor Military Academy in Chattanooga.  He attended the University of Virginia, The New School in New York City, Dekalb College, the University of Hawai’i and The University of Georgia, graduating from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C., with a major in English, a minor in linguistics. Leathers had an affinity for languages; in addition to Russian, he knew Mandarin Chinese, Hawai’ian, French and a dash of Thai basics from travels to the Kingdom on family visits.

Leathers’ penchant for local history led him into preservation in the Cobbham neighborhood. He and four partners renovated Magnolia Terrace (357 Hill St.) into a bed-and-breakfast inn in the 1990s. He also restored 889 Hill St., his father’s childhood home.  And, he restored the antebellum home of his great, great grandparents—Confederate General Howell Cobb and Mary Ann Lamar Cobb—at 425 Hill St., while raising his family there.

On his playful side, Leathers was the creative spirit who rewrote the musical “Oklahoma” into a local parody titled “Cobblahoma” to the delight of its neighborhood audience at a summer festival.  He also once proposed that the Cobbham district remain on standard time defying the annual Daylight Savings switch.

Leonidas Milton Leathers III was born in Athens on December 26, 1946, to Leon Milton “Red” Leathers Jr. and Sarah Pharr Erwin Leathers. Red Leathers was a celebrated football player at UGA in the 1929-30s era.  

Milton married Deborah “Kammy” Young of Haleiwa, Hawai’i and they celebrated their 50th Anniversary on November 6, 2021. They had four children, all of whom survive:  Ligon McWhorter “Hano” Leathers (wife Mary Anne) of Nashville, TN; Joshua Cobb “Cobby” Leathers (wife Nattada) of Bangkok, Thailand; Samuel Lamar Erwin Leathers (wife Michelle Lynn) of Oahu, Hawai’i; Sarah Pharr McWeeney (husband William Thomas) of Chuluota, Florida.  His four grandchildren are  William Thomas “Hano” McWeeney, Denisia Marie Cobb McWeeney, Milton Tanwa Leathers, Sarah Nada Leathers.

Also surviving are a sister, Camilla Erwin Leathers Seabolt, who lives in Clayton, GA, with her husband, William Carswell Seabolt; a niece Cami, and nephews Chip and Milton and their children. He was raised with his three first cousins who have been more like brothers: Joe, Andrew and Alex (deceased) Neighbors.

In addition to his own large, extended family, Leathers bonded with other families, including the late Phinizy Spalding’s. Margie Spalding observed, “Milton has been part of our lives for more than 40 years—as a true and close friend to Phinizy and me and like a second father to Phin, David and Margaret. He was always ready with a hug, a story, a laugh and thoughtful compliment.  Milton and I enjoyed locking horns at times because we both knew it would have no effect on the love we felt for one another. His loss is immeasurable for all of us.”  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

The Milton “Red” Leathers Football Scholarship at UGA, online at https://gail.uga.edu/commit?des=72063003

Historic Athens (formerly the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation), online at https://achfonline.kindful.com/?campaign=341943

Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery, online at tinyurl.com/4hezc869

Graveside services will be held at Oconee Hill Cemetery on Friday, December 3rd at 12 Noon. It will be followed by a reception at The Hill, 1800 Crescent Lane, Athens, GA 30607.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.