Funeral set for firefighter who died shielding wife during tornado

Community to honor Major Leslie Leatherman with procession through downtown London

LONDON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – The funeral services have been announced for a Laurel County firefighter who died in the line of duty while shielding his wife during last week’s tornado.

The fire department says 57-year-old Major Leslie Leatherman died Friday night after responding to a call for help during the storm.

According to officials, Leatherman was found dead in a field after using his body to protect his wife from the tornado. His wife survived and is now recovering in the hospital.

Leatherman had served with the fire department for 39 years and was also the assistant director for the 911 center in Whitley County. Visitation is scheduled for Monday morning at 10 a.m. at Faith Assembly of God Church in London. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at the same location.

At 1:45 p.m., a funeral procession will depart Faith Assembly and travel through Main Street in downtown London. The procession will end at Cumberland Memorial Gardens—Leatherman’s final resting place.

Officials are asking the community to line the downtown streets with flags in honor of Leatherman’s life and service.