Herbert D. "Rabbit" Leary

Published in The News & Observer on May 20, 2010

Herbert Dorsey “Rabbit” Leary, 98, died Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at Avante at Reidsville .

Graveside Memorial services will be conducted at 12:00 noon on Saturday, May 22, 2010 in Greenview Cemetery.

He was born on November 26, 1911 in Tyner (Chowan County), NC to the late Herbert Lee and Annie Cecelia Perry Leary. He resided at Highgrove Longterm Care Center in Reidsville, NC since 2002.

Rabbit graduated from Chowan High School and attended Louisburg College on a baseball scholarship. He later played professional baseball for the Chattanooga Lookouts, Portsmouth Cubs, and the Reidsville NC Luckies of the Bi-State League.

Herbert served his country during WWII in the European Theatre. He returned to Reidsville after the war and worked until his retirement for the city of Reidsville as the building and electrical inspector.

Herbert was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Humphreys Leary who was a native of Reidsville, brothers, Curtis Trotman Leary and Lewis Edward Leary, a sister, Mary Elizabeth Ralph, brother-in-law, Wallace Hobbs and sister-in-law, Myrtle Ward Leary.

Surviving are sisters: Bonnie Lee Nixon and Lottie Ann Hobbs; brother, Douglas Perry Leary; brother-in-law, William Preston Nixon; sisters-in-law, Mary Byrum Leary and Rebecca Warren Leary.

There will be no formal visitation.

Memorials may be made to: First Baptist Church, 409 S. Main St., Reidsville, NC 27320.
Citty Funeral Home is assisting the Leary family.

Online condolences may be made at www.cittyfh.com