Arthur Leon Leighton, 94, of Prairie, MS, passed away Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at Dugan Memorial Home, West Point, MS.

Private family services will be held at a later date. Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS is in charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Leighton was born September 5, 1921 in Tioga County, PA to the late Leon George Leighton and Florence Wilson. He was a World War II veteran, serving as a medic in the Unites States Army. Mr. Leighton was also a retired self-employed general carpenter. He was a member of South Jackson Street Church of Christ, Houston, MS. In addition to his parents, Mr. Leighton is preceded in death by his first wife – Doris Eleanor Lawson Leighton; daughter-in-law – Jebby Thomas Leighton; and sisters – Nellie Leighton, Phyllis Egli, and Joyce Morgan.

Mr. Leighton is survived by his wife – Gladys Cline-Leighton, Columbus, MS; children – Susan (Bennie) Mosely, Rockhill, SC, Leon Leighton, Sr., Rosewell, GA, and Doris (Michael) Free, Woodland, MS; step-children – Belinda Doty, Suzanne, Ida Lancaster, and Wade Cline; grandchildren – Jacquelyn (Doug) Binger, Leon "Lee" (Sam) Leighton, Bennie (Joy) Mosely III, Bryan (Brandi) Moseley, Ashley (Danny Ray) Schwalenberg, and Brittany (AJ) Mann; and great-grandchildren – Hailey and Liam Binger, Tori Smith, Hunter Garrison Moseley, Brooklyn and Brock Moseley, Collin Schwalenberg, and Kaleb, Landon and Emma Kate Griffin.

Memorials may be made to Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703 or the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 8, Columbus, MS 39703.