Funeral services for Reverend Dr. E. Leonard Gllingham, 83 year old resident of Weatherford, Oklahoma, will be held on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Weatherford under the direction of Lockstone Funeral Home with Reverend Lynn Brack officiating.

Dr. Gillingham passed away Friday in his home, on September 26, 2014, at the age of 83 years, 7 months, and 7 days.

Leonard was born February 19, 1931 in Weatherford to Leonard and Dorothy Carlisle Gillingham, students at Southwestern Normal School. His early years were spent in rural Caddo County, Oklahoma, scratching out a living on the dry and sandy land, living in meager circumstances. When his father became an agent with the American Agriculture Authority, working with other farmers on conservation methods they lived in several communities in western Oklahoma. In 1940 the family returned to the family farm in the Oney community where Leonard and his siblings attended Oney School. Leonard graduated from Oney High School in 1949, the valedictorian of a class of twelve. Following in his fathers footsteps, Leonard enrolled in Southwestern College majoring in science and mathematics. Also, like his parents, he and Martha Hughes met and married as students at Southwestern. Leonard and Martha were active in the Wesley Foundation (the Methodist Student Movement on campus). But in the second term of his freshman year, Leonard received and accepted the call of God to be a pastoral minister. He was soon qualified as a student lay pastor and served churches during the rest of his undergraduate studies and his masters degree from Perkins School of Theology, SMU in Dallas. TX. Leonard and Martha were married in August of 1952. Leonard served several churches in western Oklahoma: Port and Retrop, Canute and Hefner, Elmer and Friendship, and Sentinel. In 1960 this Oklahoma farm boy decided that he needed to expand his experiences and accepted an appointment as the Associate Pastor in an urban church, Central Methodist Church in Albuquerque, NM. He served there for 2 years and then was appointed as the senior pastor of Kingswood Methodist Church, Clovis, NM. Leonard would return to Albuquerque twice over the next 40 years: at First Methodist and St Johns UMC. He also served St. Pauls UMC in El Paso, St Pauls UMC, Las Cruces and as District Superintendent of the Clovis District. In June of 1999 Leonard retired from the active ministry and returned to Weatherford to help care for his mother and to farm the old homestead near Oney, OK with his son. He was a tireless worker. During the nearly 50 years of his ministry, Leonard showed a remarkable sense of fairness and justice demonstrated in early participation in civil rights issues. His constant striving to grow in knowledge and skill led him to pursue a Dr. of Ministry degree at McCormick Theological Seminary awarded in 1982. His ability to fix things was legendary, his willingness to listen and offer wise counsel was life changing and he was model and mentor for what it means to love. In retirement, he was active in the Weatherford UMC as well as Rotary and other civic activities. He loved his Lord and savior and proved it by his loving action through out his life.

Leonard is survived by his wife, Martha, four children: David and wife Kelly of Oney, OK., Mary Len and husband, Tom Stanton of Cedar Park, TX, Carol Gillingham and partner Carmen Velez of Houston, TX., Sara and husband, Charles, of Lubbock, TX and two brothers, Walter and wife, Nettie, and Charles and wife, Pauline, and sister Wilma and husband, Duane. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and a multitude of nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, one brother, and a grandson.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to one of the following:

Gillingham Endowment for Childrens Music Ministry at First UMC, Weatherford, OK; 817 N. 7th St., Weatherford, OK 73096

Bill and Kay Hutchinson Leadership Development Endowment

c/o New Mexico Annual Conference UMC

11816 Lomas Blvd. NE

Albuquerque NM 87112

Weatherford Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry; P.O. Box 566, Weatherford, OK 73096