Another of the guys whom we met through the Soldiers evangelism program on Saturday night was Gary Leonard. Gary was a short but good looking guy with black wavy hair and a great voice. He had been in broadcasting before his tour with the Army at Fort Knox. Soon after discovering his talents, we recruited Gary to help emcee the evangelism service for the soldiers and also to deliver solos. He did a great job, coming in each Saturday night to help in the leadership of the formal part of the program. He brought another PFC on the base, Bob Azeltine, who was an accomplished organist. Together, they were a real team.

Some time later Gary, was discharged from his obligated service in the Army and decided to move to Louisville to continue fellowshipping with our group and in his work with the Soldiers’ program. He moved into Jack and Helen Gibson’s big mansion on Cherokee Road along with Bonnie, Judy and Ginny. They were well chaperoned by Helen and Jack. Gary landed a night broadcasting slot with a local radio station. “Ole Gare” as we called him, developed a special attachment for Snoopy, the Gibson’s black dog.

Ole Gare and I enjoyed a close friendship and prayed together about many things, including what was God’s will for our lives. We strategized about how we might be more effective for God in personal evangelism. Later, Gary served as best man and soloist when Judy and I married at the First Alliance Church in Louisville.

Eventually, he moved to Chicago and joined with the Moody Bible Institute radio broadcasting arm. Gary met his wife Zeda there and after their marriage, they moved to Spokane where he continued a lifelong career with Moody’s radio ministries in that area.