Norman Chester Leonard was born in Sacramento, California, April 2, 1891. When he was about two years of age his father died and his mother, taking her two sons, Norman and Frank, went to Kansas where they lived with the boys’ grandparents. Later they moved to Bland, New Mexico, and from there to Albuquerque, where Norman attended public school. He became interested in the stock business in the Jomez Mountain district and was well known throughout that section of the country, making his home there and in Albuquerque until 1910.

In 1910, through the advice of an uncle, Norman L. Bletcher, he went to Jarbidge, Nevada, where he engaged in prospecting and mining, being joined later by his mother and brother. For some time he and his brother had a mail contract for hauling mail to and from Jarbidge. When the United States entered the war, Norman thought it his duty to serve his Country and endeavored to volunteer, but was rejected. The local draft board at Elko, Nevada, subsequently rejected him, but afterwards he was accepted for service at Glenn’s Ferry, Idaho, on November 2, 1917. He was sent to Camp Lewis and placed in 41st Company, 166th Depot Brigade and a few days later was transferred to Company K, 162d Infantry in which organization he was serving at the time of his death. He was with the 162d Infantry when it arrived at Long Island, Camp Mills, for embarkation to France. However, it did not fall to Norman’s lot to reach France as he was taken sick and removed to Belleview Hospital, New York City, to undergo an operation for mastoids. As he was in a weakened condition pneumonia set in causing his death on January 31, 1918.

Norman was an honest, upright, noble man of good habits and was a great reader. He was thoughtful, ambitious and of a sensitive nature; his every thought was for his family and their comfort. He never complained about his life and his relatives and friends were justly proud of him. His body was taken to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and lies there laid to rest among the scenes of his boyhood–the place he always remembered as home. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Rose L. Dexter, Barber, Idaho, and his brother, Frank Leonard, Jarbidge, Nevada.