Leonard Earl Montieth

Leonard Earl Montieth, 78, of Mabank, Texas, passed away on December 7, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.

He was born on May 4, 1947, in Greeneville, Tennessee, the youngest child of William Barnett and Annie Kate Montieth (Willis).

Leonard was raised in the hills of the Smokey Mountains and spent his youth in Tusculum, Tennessee. In high school, he played varsity basketball for the Chuckey-Doak Black Knights. During his senior year, the team won the Greene County Championship, advanced to district and regional playoffs, and Leonard was named one of five players to the Tennessee All-Season Team. He was also voted “Most Talented” for his guitar playing skillsas a senior. Leonard graduated from Chuckey-Doak High School on May 23, 1965.

Following graduation, Leonard entered the United States Navy on July 26, 1965. He served during the Vietnam War, completing assignments both stateside and aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Franklin D. Roosevelt. During his service he held the rank E-6 and earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He was honorably discharged on July 23, 1969.

At age 23, Leonard met and married Kaye McCreary on October 10, 1970, in Greeneville, Tennessee in best friend Sammy Dobson apartment. Together they had two children, Kyle and Lori. Leonard and Kaye lived in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina before moving to Texas in 1980. He spent his career with United Telephone / ITT / Sprint, retiring in 2011. He later married Carey Vaughn in 2012.

Leonard was an avid golfer, water-skier, angler who loved spending time on the water, and die hard Tennesee Volunteer Fan. He was also a gifted storyteller—often sharing legendary tales such as his parents “moving and not telling him,” the time he and Sammy drove a car through a barn and killed a man’s cow, being followed home from school by a mountain lion, and his son’s “car-wrecking ability.” These stories, and countless others, will be told for generations.

Leonard is survived by his wife Carey Vaughn of Mabank, TX, children, son Kyle and wife Kelly Montieth of Stephenville and Lori Montieth of Fort Worth; his grandchildren, Caisson Montieth (Montana), Carlee Guidry (Mason), and Ella Kaye Montieth: four great-grandchildren—Callaway, Hallie James, Braisson, and Halston Kaye—who brought him tremendous joy. Step-grandchildren Justice Baker (Becca), Megan McBride (Adam), Tesslie Durham (Riley), step great-grandchildren Brynlie, Jantzen, Baylie, Lyla, Ajay, and Leah, his sister Linda Estepp of Johnson City, TN, his brother Lyle Montieth (Aline) of Chuckey, TN, nephew Allen Estepp (Bonnie)of Prescott, AZ, nieces Karla Krum (Billy) of Greeneville, TN, Vanessa (Wayne) of Elizabethton, TN, Ellen Kiker of Johnson City, TN ,his father-in-law, Bobby Spruiell of Mabank, Texas and his best friend of 78 years, Sam Dobson (Juanita).

Leonard was preceded in death by his parents and by his first wife, Kaye Montieth.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 2:30 p.m., at Legends Country Club in Stephenville, TX.