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<p><em>Geary Laverne Leathers</em> was born on March 30, 1955 to Willie and Margie Leathers in Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and his family later moved to Florence, AL. Growing up, he never took the easy way out and faced challenges head on, displaying the deep commitment and determination that would later serve him well throughout his life. Generous in spirit, Geary cheered the successes of others more than his own and was a mentor and role model for his brothers. He attended Bradshaw High School and participated in several school clubs and sports, including track and cross country. Geary graduated from Bradshaw High School in 1973 and was part of a distinguished contingent of extraordinary future “Proud and Great” classmates from the North Alabama area, including Jim Casey, Gary Wilson, and Herman Bulls. </p>
<p>Geary’s path to West Point took him through the Prep School, where he initially struggled while honing his athletic and academic skills. He persevered, encouraged by his dad (who told him, “Don’t come home. Don’t quit; it will be worth it”) and his roommates. </p>
<p>Geary entered the Academy as a member of the “Proud and Great” Class of 1978 in July 1974. His classmates remember him as a true Southern gentleman, always at the ready with a kind word of encouragement delivered in his distinctive Alabama drawl. A quiet but diligent scholar, Geary was eager to help his classmates through their academic challenges. His low-key disposition and self-effacing manner camouflaged a quick wit that was always able to find the sunnier side of life. Whether during an after-dinner chat, catching a movie, or indulging in a hot fudge sundae at Grant Hall, cadet life was always more fun when Geary was involved. He continued his pursuit of athletic excellence in track and cross country (including an appearance in the Penn Relays in Philadelphia), enhancing his natural abilities with his characteristic hard work and dedication. Geary also participated in the Cadet Fine Arts Forum and Dialectic Society. </p>
<p>Geary was commissioned into the Adjutant General Corps after graduating on June 7, 1978 (he was the first in his family to graduate from college). He served as a club officer for the Army Officers’ Club System in Pirmasens and Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he met his wife of 37 years, Phyllis (a DOD educator), and the mother of his children, Bradley and Abby. Geary spent his last years in the Army at Fort Carson, CO, where he resigned his commission. </p>
<p>After leaving active duty in 1984, Geary launched an impressive 30-year career with corporate golf club management companies in the U.S. and abroad. His interest in golf stemmed from his childhood experiences at the 9-hole Skypark course in Florence, imitating Arnold Palmer to his brother’s Lee Trevino. While living in England for six years as managing director of American Golf-United Kingdom, Geary grew a portfolio of public and private clubs from five to 29 in England and Australia. After moving to Nashville, TN in 2015, he served as GM and COO for Richland Country Club and as an industry consultant through his own firms, Trademark Golf Management, LLC, and Caliber Management and Concierge, LLC. Toward the end of his career in golf, Geary became the general manager of Richland Country Club in Brentwood, TN. After retiring from the golf industry, he served in management at the UPS distribution center in Nashville.</p>
<p>Throughout his life, Geary cherished being part of the Long Gray Line, using many opportunities to keep connected, including class reunions and Army football games. He had a role in bringing Liz and Gary Wilson together and later introduced us to Morel, his beloved partner.</p>
<p>Geary passed away on July 12, 2024, surrounded by family at Alive Hospice Nashville after a brief illness. A man of Christian faith and character, Geary’s warm, affable, and hospitable personality endeared him to friends, clients, and colleagues over his wide range of social and professional activities. Although he will be missed, we are all strengthened by the impact he had on our lives and his memory shall forever be a blessing.</p>
<p><em>— Howard Lazurus and Bradley Leathers</em></p>
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