Born March 17, 1935 in Belen, MS, Leon graduated from Marks High School and attended Northwest Jr. College and Delta State University where he received his BS degree. He later received his Master's degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Leon served as a National Guard reservist from 1956-1958.

After graduating from Delta State, he taught and coached football at Greenville St. Joseph, Ocean Springs, and from there to Harrison Central High School, to Gulfport High School where he ultimately became the head Football Coach. His 20 year coaching career was highlighted with State Football Championships in 1970 and 1972 when the Gulfport Commodores were undefeated. In 1972 he was named Big 8 and State Coach of the Year by the MS High School Activities Association. Leon also served on the Mississippi High School Activities Board of Directors.

Leon was inducted into the Gulfport Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

He later became Director of Transportation and helped set up the Gulfport School District bus program. He retired from Gulfport Schools in 1994.

Leon was a member of the USM Alumni Association, USM Eagle Club (Foundation) and a football season ticket holder.

During his spare time after retiring from coaching, he became interested in woodworking, and made numerous beautiful pieces of furniture that helped to furnish his home. This interest later led him into pottery. He was a member of the Ocean Springs Art Association and has created many beautiful pieces of pottery. He showed his pottery at the Peter Anderson Arts Festival yearly in Ocean Springs.

Leon was an active member of the Mississippi City United Methodist Church and served numerous terms on the Board of Trustees. He was a faithful attendee of the Adult Sunday School Class and served as treasurer of the United Methodist Men’s Club.

Leon met his wife, Dot, at Gulfport High when they were both teachers and coaches. They were married during the summer of 1977. Dot and Leon were married for 49 years before Dot’s death earlier this year. They both enjoyed tennis and were charter members of the Bayou Bluff Tennis Club. He also enjoyed golf and when Dot took up the game, they became members of Dogwood Hills Golf Club and Great Southern Golf Club.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; parents, Vernon and Thelma Regel; sisters, Virginia Regel of Marks, MS, and Elizabeth Black of Memphis, TN and brother, James and his wife, Gwen, of Germantown, TN.

He is survived by brothers, R. C. of Germantown, TN., Billy (wife Donna) and sisters, Mary Powers (husband David), Patricia Iten (husband Lou), and Iris Wreyford (husband Harrell).

Graveside service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Gulfport. Riemann Family Funeral Home, Gulfport, is honored to serve the family. An online guestbook may be signed at www.riemannfamily.com . 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Mississippi City United Methodist Church or Humane Society of South MS.