Leonard Ray Wilhelm

Leonard Ray Wilhelm, 92, of Kannapolis, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026.

Leonard was born on July 10, 1933, in Rowan County. He was a cherished son of the late Robert Lee Wilhelm and Lillian Lucille Upright Wilhelm. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Bob, Judy, Phylis, Martha, and Louise.

Leonard proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War. Following his service, he built a long and dependable career as a truck driver, spending 36 years on the road. He took pride in hard work and was known for his strong work ethic.

Master gardener, Leonard found great joy working in his yard. He grew an abundance of vegetables and never hesitated to share his harvest with neighbors, friends, and family. Many will remember stopping by his yard to admire the crops and hearing him say, “look at that pretty corn.”

In his spare time, Leonard enjoyed watching Atlanta Braves baseball, following NASCAR, and fishing. He appreciated life’s simple pleasures and lived by values he expressed in his well-known sayings, including, “I don’t want nothing that ain’t mine,” and his steady, reassuring response to most questions: “I’m good.” Some of his other famous sayings were, “If you’re going to do it, do it right” and “Put your playing money in one hand and the winnings in the other.”

Leonard will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 72 years, Colleen Robinette Wilhelm; sons, Ronald Lynn Wilhelm (Debbie), Douglas Ray Wilhelm (Judy), and Michael Lee Wilhelm (Tammy); grandchildren, Ashley, Shannen, Logan, Troy, Tyler, Jamie, and Kristin; great- grandchildren, Kaylie, Mckinley, Shane, Malachi, Axel, Addison, Caleb, Kylee, Kinslee, Henry, Oaklynn, Harper, and Lainey; and his sister, Brenda.

The family will receive friends from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at Whitley’s Funeral Home in Kannapolis. The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation beginning at 12:00pm with Rev. Randall Ritchie officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Carolina Memorial Park in Kannapolis.