Church Man Tom Leopard Goes Home
By Zoe S. Erler

Tom Leopard, longtime ruling elder at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, passed away on Friday, Sept. 29.

 “He was a model ruling elder, ‘church man,’ and brother in Christ, and his service to the Lord was and is a testament to the grace and provision of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” says Harry L. Reeder III, senior pastor at Briarwood.

Tom Leopard with his wife, Ann

Born Oct. 25, 1928, Leopard served in the U.S. Army in the wake of the Korean War. Later discharged as a corporal, he pursued a career in public accounting, and later worked as a controller in the private sector. In the early 1970s, he started attending Briarwood, where he came to Christ.

In 1974, he became a ruling elder at Briarwood, serving as the stated clerk of the church’s session, as moderator of Evangel Presbytery, and then as moderator of the PCA’s 27th General Assembly in 1999. He was also employed as Briarwood’s church administrator for 23 years.

“He loved the Lord and really wanted to advance God’s call through the church,” says Frank Barker, Jr., pastor emeritus at Briarwood, who helped lead Leopard to the Lord.

Leopard leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Ann Brothers Leopard, two daughters (Melanie Korndorffer and Monica Littlefield), and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4 at Briarwood. Visitation to follow.

Click here for his obituary in The Birmingham News.

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