William Rayburn Leeper

Lebanon, VA – William Rayburn Leeper, age 77, went to be with the Lord on Monday, March 6, 2023. Born December 7, 1945. He was the son of the late Ray Leeper and Mary Blair Leeper. He was retired from Eastman Chemical Company. He wrote articles for the Kingsport Times News, was very interested in electronics and had wonderful handwriting. He was a member of Fairview Baptist Church and he was an Associate Minister and past pastor of Beech Hill Baptist Church, Pennington Gap, VA. He was a past President of Sunday School of Schaffer Baptist Association, past Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Lebanon, VA. He was also a U.S. Air Force Veteran.

 

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his biological father: W.P. Reece.

 

He is survived by his wife of thirty-six years: Jessie Burrell Leeper; two daughters: Maia Whitaker and Melissa Adams and husband Vincent; six sisters: Debra Gray and husband Bruce, Dia Smith, Jean Ann Moore and husband Terry, Donna Charles, DeAnna Pelant, Carolyn Butler and husband Maurice; brother: Ray Leeper; step-son: Robert Hale Burrell and wife Dee; special grandson: Edward Walters and wife Teresa; along with a multitude of grandchildren; great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews cousins; sisters-in-law: Jenny Mabry (Emmanuel), Jackie Booher (Carl), Wanda Washington (Danny), Viola Hockaday, Neomia Smith, Connie Hayes (Roy), Yvonne Richardson; brother-in-law: Benjamin Burrell.

 

A special thanks to the staff of The Waters of Bristol Rehabilitation and Nursing Center; his caretaker: Hope Stevens; all the people from Hospice; Dr. Boccarossa; special friends: Pastor Jeff Tallent and Craig Raderavek, and friend, Doug.

 

Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Monday, March 13, 2023 in the Emmanuel Baptist Church with Pastor Danny Belcher and Rev. Jacqui Booher officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. A committal service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in the Mountain Home National Cemetery, 53 Memorial Avenue, Mountain Home, TN. Everyone wishing to attend is asked to meet at the funeral home by 9:15 a.m.

Military honors will be provided by DAV Veterans Honor Guard of Bluff City, TN.

 

The family respectfully requests that anyone attending the services to please wear a mask.

 

Expressions of sympathy may be made on Combs-Hess Funeral Service Facebook page and our website at www.chfunerals.com. Combs-Hess Funeral Service, 291 Highway 71 Fincastle Road, Lebanon, VA 24266, (276) 889-4444 is serving the Leeper family.