Bernard "Dutch" Joseph Leonard

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, March 6, 2026, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 4145 Johnson St., High Point, NC 27265. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m., at Sedgefield Country Club, 3201 Forsyth Dr., Greensboro, NC 27407.(Please RSVP to #203-858-2234).

Dutch was born October 22nd, 1939 in The Bronx, NY to Henry and Margaret Leonard, who emigrated from County Monaghan, Ireland. He was the youngest of three children, following his brother Harry and sister Dorothy. Dutch was a scholarship athlete at Mount St. Michael Academy in The Bronx, where he was a stand out in baseball, basketball and football. He then received a scholarship to attend The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, excelling in both baseball and football.

In 1959, Dutch signed a contract with the NY Yankees as a first baseman. He played for four seasons in the Yankees organization from 1960-1963, including the 1962 season with the Greensboro Yankees. During that time, he married Joyce Margaret Leonard, from Riverdale, NY.

Following his playing days, Dutch began a career in the textile industry that would span 40 years and include roles with firms such as JP Stevens and Texfi. He spent 23 years with Burlington Industries and moved his family from New Jersey to Greensboro in 1985, where he served as President of Burlington Denim, until his retirement in 2001. After retirement, he served as a consultant to several international textile firms in India & Mexico.

Dutch was active in industry organizations, including serving as President of the Human Environmental Sciences Foundation at UNCG, and was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. He was an avid golfer and an active member of Sedgefield Country Club. Nothing was more important to Dutch than his family and his four golden retrievers. In his spare time, he loved watching his beloved NY Giants and NY Yankees and his favorite Westerns.

Dutch and Joyce celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary before her passing in 2019. He is survived by his son Bob and his wife Cindy, his daughter Kerry and her husband Tim Iris, his son Ken and his wife LeeAnn, as well as his nine grandchildren, Katie, Andrew, Rebecca, Meagan, Brendan, Brian, Sean, Henry and Jillian and his great grandson Walker Dutch Leonard. His friendly demeanor and sense of humor will be greatly missed by all the many lives he touched.

Online condolences may be made at www.haneslineberryfhsedgefield.com