Leon Lambert Johnson was born on July 14, 1947 to parents Charles Thomas Johnson (1912-1956) and Maybelle Elizabeth Weisenberger (1918-1978). He had siblings Lorraine Elizabeth Johnson (1941-1990) and Charles Arthur Johnson (1943-2000).
He served as a Sgt. in the US Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and was stationed in Okinawa during the war. Leon served from September 2, 1966 until his discharge on February 28, 1970.