Pictures of the Family

Left, Mark and Sheryl Leonard and family; top center, Billee and Reas Madsen of Denver and daughters; seated center, Lori Leonard Morgan of Dallas; right, Gloria and Bill Leonard. We've had several additions and a new generation added to the family since this photo was taken: Lori's husband; Jennifer's husband and daughters; Amanda's husband and daughter; Emily's husband and sons; and Erin's husband and very soon their daughter.

Pictured clockwise from left at a Leonard For Iowa event held in Des Moines in March are Lori, Erin, Gloria, Steve Forbes, Sheryl and Mark, Emily, Denae and Austin. Mr. Forbes, a former Presidential candidate and the CEO of Forbes, Inc., traveled to Iowa to help raise funds for Mark's campaign for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.

Holstein celebrated its 125th birthday in June 2007. Mom served as the president of the Quasquicentennial Celebration and the entire family participated in the weeklong event. Pictured at the Costume Ball are Lori, Bill, Gloria, Mark, Sheryl, Austin, Erin and Josephine.

The first winter storm of the season left a shimmering coat of ice everywhere and draped the gateway in icicles. In the background the cornstalk bales for winter feed double as a snow fence.

Mark and Sheryl's grandson, and Bill and Gloria's great-grandson, Danny Melody - son of Emily and Marc Melody of Lake City - tries on Grandpa Mark's boots for size. Apparently Danny was in the mood to be a cowboy AND an Indian that day!

Not to be outdone by his "little" twin brother, David Melody steps into Grandpa Mark's boots and thinks they fit just fine, thank you! Mark and Sheryl have another grandchild on the way ... daughter Erin and her husband, Raen Schechinger, who live near Houston, Texas, are expecting a daughter in August.

Two generations of Leonard girls represented the beef industry as queens. Lori Leonard Morgan represented the Limousin breed as National Queen in 1980, shown here giving her acceptance speech at her crowning in Houston.

Lori Leonard Morgan represented the Limousin breed as Iowa Queen in 1979 and National Queen in 1980.

Sheryl Knop Leonard was crowned Ida County Beef Queen and Iowa Angus Queen in 1979.

Emily Leonard Melody represented the Limousin breed as Iowa Queen in 1996.

Erin Leonard Schechinger represented the Limousin breed as Iowa Queen in 1997.

Ember Leonard represented the Limousin breed as Iowa Queen in 1999.

Denae Leonard represented the Angus breed as Iowa Princess in 2004.

Mark and Sheryl's son, Austin, now 18, has grown about four feet since this photo was taken. He's taller than his dad now, that's for sure, but it's yet to be determined who's handier with a rope.

Mark proves he's still got it when it comes to throwing a rope, while Sheryl brings the truck and trailer in the lane to get another load of cattle.

Cover Girl and Her Dad

Mark and eldest daughter, Emily, were featured on the cover of this NALJA newsletter in 1993. They are pictured in the showring at a National Jr. Limousin Heifer Show.

Bill and Gloria Leonard celebrated their 50th anniversary on December 18, 1999, at a party given by their children and their families, and attended by lifelong friends.

Bill Leonard shows his then-new son-in-law, Lori's husband Randy Morgan, how to drive a tractor. Less than 30 minutes after this photo was taken, Randy accidently ran the tractor right over Bill's pickup! Nobody was hurt, but it was a humbling and valuable lesson for this city boy.

The Bill and Gloria home place, built in 1912, is the original headquarters of Leonard Limousin, established in 1969.

Sheryl plays with the Great Dane puppies their family pet, Dana, delivered this spring. In addition to raising purebred Limousin and Angus, Mark and Sheryl also raise purebred Great Danes.

The Mark Leonard family includes Mark and Sheryl, Austin, Denae, Ember, Emily and Marc Melody and sons David and Daniel, and Erin and Raen Schechinger.

Part of the Bill Leonard family got together at Thanksgiving including Lori and Randy Morgan and Sammy, Bill and Gloria, Amanda and Scott Vanis and daughter Caroline, Billee and Reas Madsen, and Erin and Raen Schechinger.