Barbara Marie (Proehl) Leonard, 66, of Barnhart died June 20, 2026. Mrs. Leonard devoted her early years to being a stay‑at‑home mother until her daughters were school‑aged. She then spent many years nurturing children in nursery settings, supporting students as a para‑professional and later assisting elderly and disabled people in their homes. Born March 26, 1960, in St. Louis, she was the daughter of Ruth Proehl and the late Donald M. Proehl.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband of 38 years: Charles Leonard; a stepson: Blake Leonard; two daughters: Kayla (Jared) Burroughs and Melissa (Nathan) Shumaker; and five grandchildren: Ryleigh, Ely, Jackson, Kaylee and Wyatt.
Visitation is scheduled from 5 p.m. until a celebration of life at 7 p.m. Friday, June 26, at Chapel Hill Mortuary-Robert Brown Chapel, 103 Fourth St., in Hillsboro. Arrangements are under the direction of Chapel Hill Mortuary-Robert Brown Chapel.