The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
(TNS)
LONDON — A hero was laid to rest on Memorial Day, with community members lining London’s Main Street to pay tribute as the funeral process passed by.
Major Leslie Leatherman spent a lifetime answering the call of public service. Whether through firefighting (39 years with Laurel County Fire Department), emergency medical response, or dispatching, he was known throughout the area of southeastern Kentucky for his steady presence and unwavering dedication.
Leatherman lost his life during the deadly storms that devastated London and Laurel County throughout the night of Friday, May 16, and early Saturday morning of May 17.
As severe weather tore through the area, Leatherman died protecting his wife, Michelle, who survived the storm. His final act was one of courage — shielding another from harm, just as he had done his entire career.
“Les has spent his adult life dedicated to public service,” stated Brandon Prewitt, Whitley County Police Chief and E-911 Director. “From his fire training, his time in an ambulance, or most of his time behind the radio for the first responders — if you were out in the field, no matter if it was police, fire, or EMS, Les is the one you would want to be sitting in the chair behind the radio.”
Those who worked alongside Leatherman saw his compassion firsthand. He was the kind of colleague who didn’t wait to be asked−he showed up, stepped in, and supported his fellow responders in every way possible.
Prewitt continued by expressing how great Leatherman truly was at his job, and how his dedication and heartfelt attitude would never leave the dispatch.
“Les’s heart was and will always be in the radio room of a dispatch center, and you could sure tell it,” Prewitt stated. “He was the best example of a great dispatch.”
Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White Jr. called Leatherman a “devoted and knowledgeable dispatcher and Assistant Director,” and said he was remembered by many as “the calm voice on the other end of the phone.”
“Les spent his life in public service. He dedicated nearly all of his adult life to serving others,” White said. “He was a tremendous asset to Whitley County E-911. Les was instrumental in training our employees at the dispatch center and was a fine person who will be very missed.”
Through every call answered and every life helped, Maj. Leslie Leatherman left a mark on his community that will certainly not be forgotten.
The impact of his service remains woven into the fabric of southeastern Kentucky’s emergency response system. The echo of his calm voice mentioned by White, the memory of his bravery touched on by Prewitt−these examples he set will continue to guide and inspire those who serve after him.
As the region mourns his loss, Maj. Leatherman will be honored not only for how he served, but for the way he lived — with courage, humility, and an enduring commitment to protecting others.
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