Guy Joseph Leonard, Jr., 49 of Great Mills, MD died suddenly April 24, 2025. He was known affectionately by his family as Joey, and Guy to his friends and community.

He was born January 10, 1976, at Patuxent River Naval Hospital, MD, to Jane (nee: Bridges) Leonard of North Little Rock, AR and the late Guy Joseph Leonard, Sr. He grew up in St. Mary's County and is a 1994 graduate of St. Mary's Ryken High School.

After graduating high school, Guy attended York College in York, PA where he met the love of his life. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998, majoring in International Studies with minors in government studies and French. He quickly landed a job with Interact Nova Group as a teacher, taking him to Fukushima, Japan, where he taught conversational English to groups of students from beginner to advanced and business level conversational English to the more advanced students. After one year, he returned to the United States, and began his career in journalism as a staff writer for The Gazette Newspapers in Laurel, MD. He was a contributing writer for the team that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for their superior coverage on the "Beltway Sniper" story. He was also responsible for covering over 200 public schools within the Prince George's County educational system for two years, exposing the severe truancy problems plaguing the County; with truancy court established soon thereafter.

On October 7, 2006, he married his college sweetheart, Tegan Christine Buckley in Minersville, PA. The couple moved to St. Mary's County, and into Guy's family home. In 2007, he began the second leg of his career as a staff writer with The County Times Newspaper, working diligently to make the start-up newspaper one of the most trusted and reliable sources of news locally in St. Mary's County. Guy was a detail-oriented writer, always protecting his sources, upholding the highest level of ethics in fairness, accuracy and integrity, in all his publications. He was highly respected among his colleagues, politicians, and community members alike for his dedication to breaking numerous stories with precision and impartiality.

Guy was an avid reader, enjoying most genres, with his favorite author being Stephen King. He had an extensive Star Wars and Lego collection. He was an excellent cook, and started cooking early in his childhood, helping his mother shop for groceries and prepare meals. A favorite specialty he made was Ratatouille. He was a history buff and was well-studied on wars and the weaponry used. He was fascinated with learning all the intricate details of the guns and knives, including precise measurements, improvements, abilities, etc. He also enjoyed action movies, camp-outs with the Church, and vacations to see family members. He had a huge soft spot for his many beloved cats, whom he took excellent care of.

He is a 20-year active, faithful member of Patuxent Baptist Church in Great Mills, MD where he participated in worship services and bible study. He was a member of Sanner's Gun Club and a current member of Flat Broke Shooters Club, where he enjoyed shooting with his friends.

Guy is survived by his beloved mother, Jane, loving wife, Tegan, uncles, James "Jim" Bridges (Diann) of Sherwood, AR whom he had a close bond with, and Douglas "Doug" Bridges (Kate) of Pensacola, FL; his step-mother, Sandra Leonard of LaCrosse, WI; his in-laws, Peter and Joyce Buckley of Pottsville, PA; sister-in-law's, Tara Wheeler (Alfie) of Manteo, NC and Dr. Cali Buckley of New York, NY; many beloved fur babies; and extended friends and family. In addition to his father, he is also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Arthur and Mary Jane Bridges and paternal grandparents, Harry and Alberta Leonard.

Family will receive friends on Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with a Funeral Service celebrated by Pastor Rick Connor at 1:00 p.m., at Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Feral Cat Rescue, Inc. http://www.feralcatrescuemd.org/ ; St. Mary's Animal Welfare League (SMAWL) https://smawl.org/ ; Patuxent Baptist Church building fund in memory of Guy Leonard Jr. https://www.patuxentbaptistchurch.org/give .