Tamela Kay (Howard) Leonard

Tamela Kay (Howard) Leonard was born on October 3rd, 1958 in Hamilton, Ohio. She was the oldest daughter of Barton and Betty Howard, who later added Donna, Billy, and Michael to the family. In 1969, the family moved to upstate New York, where they served as missionaries and founded North Syracuse Church of Christ. During this time, Tammy discovered her love for church camp, sign language, and performing. Together with her sister Donna, she performed in a traveling musical duo. In 1976, she met the love of her life Stewart Leonard, and they started dating shortly after. She graduated from Cicero High School, class of 1977.

Later that year, she started college at Cincinnati Bible College, where she earned an associate’s degree in Christian Education. While in college, she worked at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Institute and interpreted ASL for classmates. On July 21st, 1978 she married Stew at North Syracuse Church of Christ. The couple started their family in Syracuse, New York, where Tammy worked in emergency admitting at Crouse-Irving Memorial Hospital. The family moved back to Cincinnati in 1986, where she would spend the remainder of her life.

At this time, Tammy began working at Cincinnati Public Schools with deaf and blind students and interpreted ASL for court hearings. She spent her summer vacations volunteering for the children’s ministry at Fairfield Church of Christ and was hired as the full time Children’s Minister in 1991. Throughout her career, Tammy wore many different hats, but her favorite one of all was the “crazy hat” she wore for 36 years in children’s ministry. While wearing this hat, she touched the lives of countless young people through Sunday school, the Sonshine Gang children’s choir, Images youth choir, vacation Bible school, church camp, and many other ministries that she poured her heart into.

On June 1st, 2022, Tammy ventured out with her sister, Donna Sisler, to purchase and own a costume rental business in Loveland, Ohio. Tammy was the brawn and Donna was the brains. Together they formed Queens of the Castle LLC and utilized each of their skills and talents for this endeavor, making a formidable team with experience and expertise. Tammy costumed plays and performances for 25 years including costuming all of her daughter’s, Kendra Thomas, shows with Indian Hill Exempted School District.

Tammy went home to be with the Lord on May 31st, 2024 after a 7 month battle with cancer. She reunited with her mother Betty Z. Howard, her father-in-law Stewart E. Leonard, her nephew Steve Leonard, her brother-in-law J. Mason Sisler, and her grandson Phelipe Leonard.

She leaves behind her husband Stewart C. Leonard, her children: Brandon (Heidi) Leonard, Matthew (Ashley) Leonard, Kendra (J. Casey) Thomas, Aaron (Chassity) Leonard, her grandchildren: Emery Kay Thomas, Irene Leonard, J. Lincoln Thomas, Ellis Leonard, Quinton Leonard, and more grandchildren to come. Also, her father Barton Howard, her siblings: Donna Sisler, Billy Ray (Gail) Howard, and Michael Howard, her mother-in-law Dolores Leonard, her brother and sisters-in-law Steve (Wendy) Leonard, and Deborah Collins, along with many nieces and nephews.

Tamela’s Memorial Service will be on Wednesday, June 12th at Lifespring Christian Church, 1373 W. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH, 45231. Visitation will be from 4:00-6:30pm, with the service beginning at 6:30pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for you to donate to two of Tammy’s favorite passions, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Institute or your local community or school’s theatre program in her memory.