John Robert Leidner

Mr. John Robert Leidner, 67, of Tifton passed away on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at Tift Regional Medical Center.

A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 11:00 AM at Our Divine Saviour Catholic Church with Father Peter Oyenugba officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. A Rosary will be held Friday, June 21st at 6:00 PM at Albritton Funeral Directors followed by the family receiving friends until 8:00 PM.

Pallbearers will be members of the Knights of Columbus in Tifton.

Mr. Leidner was born December 2, 1951 in McAllen, Texas to the late Robert William Leidner and Inez Tilly Leidner. Mr. Leidner graduated from Mission High, home of the High Flyin’ Eagles, 1970 and from Texas A&M University, 1974. In 1974, he married Mary Brown in College Station, Texas. John was the Southeast Regional Editor for Progressive Farmer magazine for 30 years, producing countless articles and several cover photos. He also worked closely with the Sunbelt Expo, writing in all 41 of their programs and writing press releases for the Farmer of the Year program. In 2007, John wrote a book on the history of the Expo entitled The Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition: A Thirty-Year Perspective. He also contributed prolifically to other ag magazines, including Southeastern Peanut Farmer and Southeast Farm Press. In addition to his accomplishments as a writer and editor, John was an active member of Our Divine Savior Catholic Church in Tifton, GA. He and his wife Mary taught C.C.D. and led the Catholic Youth Organization for several years. John also published the church bulletin and led adult religious education classes. He was also an active member of the Knights of Columbus and if you asked John, his most important duty was providing coffee and donuts after Mass. John was also an avid listener of AM radio and a longtime fan of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans football team. He happily took care of cats that were adopted by his daughter as well as any others that wandered up to his home. John greatly enjoyed traveling the back roads of the southern United States, both in his role as a journalist and on trips to visit family. He loved to get together with friends, he loved to make jokes, and he loved to help others.

Mr. Leidner is preceded in death by his wife of forty-one years, Mary Leidner. He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Mark and Laura Kate Leidner of Atlanta, Andrew and Courtney Leidner of Atlanta; one daughter Laura Leidner of Atlanta; two grandchildren are forthcoming in September; one sister and brother-in-law Mary and Fred Killingsworth of Longview, Texas; one brother and sister-in-law Bill and Donna Leidner of Irving, Texas.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Our Divine Savior Catholic Church of Tifton, 1205 Love Ave., Tifton, Ga., or Tift Regional Foundation, PO Box 747, Tifton, Ga. 31793, or Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Dr., College Station, TX., 77840.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.