When Leonard M. Parish was born on February 5, 1912, in Mississippi, his father, John, was 32 and his mother, Ada, was 21. He had three brothers and four sisters. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Corporal in the 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He entered service in Mississippi. He died on August 24, 1944 during the invasion of southern France. He is now buried at Vicksburg National Cemetery, Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi, USA.