Ronnie D. Leflore was born on 11 March 1942, the son of the late Woodrow and Mildred (Harper) Leflore. He was born in Brandon, Mississippi. His family later moved to Prichard, Alabama, when his father was employed at Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company. Ronnie accepted Jesus Christ as his savior on 13 August 1957, and was faithful to his savior for all of his life. Ronnie was graduated from Vigor High School on 3 June 1960.

Ronnie led a life of service to our country. Shortly after graduation from Vigor, Ronnie enlisted in the United States Army. Ronnie was graduated from Basic Combat Training then Advanced Infantry Training. After his first infantry assignment, Ronnie qualified for additional training and won and wore with pride the silver wings that he earned at the U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning Georgia. After assignment with an airborne unit, Ronnie then qualified and was graduated from the United States Army John F. Kennedy Center for Special Warfare at Fort Bragg North Carolina. Ronnie was one of the first to be accorded the privilege of wearing the Green Beret as a member of the United States Army Special Forces.

His training was soon put to use when he was assigned to a Special Forces "A" team in Vietnam. Ronnie served four tours of duty in Vietnam, each tour with an "A" team as an adviser. Ronnie seldom discussed Vietnam, except to state his pride in being able to send Morse Code at the rate of 25 words per minute. His uniform best described his service in Vietnam. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and on seventeen occasions the President of the United States signed a citation awarding a medal to Ronnie Leflore, all before Ronnie's 30th birthday..

After Vietnam, then Sergeant First Class Ronnie Leflore was assigned to Germany, where he served in Special Forces units, then in tank units stationed on the East German border, at the Fulda Gap. At the end of the Cold War, Ronnie Leflore was selected to train other soldiers. He was assigned as a Senior Drill Instructor at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The number of medals on Ronnie's uniform increased to twenty nine medals, and Ronnie Leflore was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank in the United States Army.

After retiring from active duty, Ronnie became a teacher. He became the Sergeant Major of the ROTC Advisor Team at Jones High School in Orlando, Florida. He taught there for almost two decades before retiring. His hobbies included working during school breaks. The rough, tough Sergeant Major loved flowers. Ronnie was an advisor at Disney World and Home Depot, and a recognized expert on Florida flowers and landscaping. His garden provided vegetables and flowers for his home.

Ronnie created a family that was his comfort and his joy. While on leave visiting family in Mississippi, the dashing 25 year old paratrooper Sergeant Ronnie Leflore met Mary Hernandez, the love of his life. They married, and she left with him for his next Army assignment. They started writing a love story for the next thirty seven years, which continues even today. They traveled together in the Army for the rest of their Army career, before settling in their home in Clermont, Florida.

Ronnie died on 14 December 2005 and is survived by Mary, his sons Gary and Roy, who live in Clermont. Their son Michael lives in Groveland, Florida, and daughter Renee lives in Center Hill, Florida. Ronnie is also survived by his brothers Donald of Tuchlua, Mississippi, and Robert, of Moss Point, Mississippi. His sisters Sue, Joy, and Kathy all live in Moss Point, Mississippi. Ronnie's sister Robin survived Ronnie by twelve days. Ronnie is also survived by seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his faithful companion, Sugar, his Golden Labrador.

Ronnie's most numerous memorials may be thousands of his students, to include the pastor who preached his funeral, members of the Honor Guard who gave our nation's final salute to him, and teenagers who stood in line at the hospital to say goodbye and comfort his family. Many lives were touched by this dedicated soldier, teacher, father, grandfather, child of God, and his greatest joy. He was the lover, defender, and husband of his Mary.

Ronnie was laid to rest with full military honors at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida on 19 December 2005.