97-year-old WWII veteran awarded high school diploma 80 years later

By Maria DeBone

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    THOMASVILLE, North Carolina (WXII) — The Grand Marshall for Thomasville’s Memorial Day parade was a local World War II veteran. After the parade, he was awarded something that he’s been wanting for 80 years, his high school diploma.

In 1943, Glenn Ray Leonard enlisted in the military. He then found out that he was to be shipped out 2 weeks before his graduation from Thomasville High School.

“He tried to have that changed and it was unable to so he promptly got on board the bus and didn’t look back,” Rick Leonard, Glenn’s son said.

Glenn went on to fight in WWII for the Navy but said one of his regrets is that he wasn’t able to get his high school diploma.

So, 80 years later, Thomasville City Schools finally awarded it to him.

“As soon as we found out, the family reached out to us, and we were able to award his diploma today, and it’s just so special,” said Chris Kennedy, the Thomasville City Schools superintendent.

Rick said, “He went through these years always discouraged that he never received that, never was never able to do that, so it was very special for the city of Thomasville and Thomasville Senior High School to do that for him.”

At the age of 97, Glenn Ray Leonard can now say he is a high school graduate.

“It was a very special day for dad. He really enjoyed doing this,” Rick said.

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