Post by sader1970 on Dec 11, 2019 13:33:30 GMT -5
Classmate Jack Leonard passed away on December 6th:
John Francis Leonard III
WOOLWICH –
“Jack” Leonard lived a wonderful life and was dauntless in his four year battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. He passed peacefully at home on Dec. 6, 2019 under the loving care of his wife of nearly 50 years, Margaret.
Jack was born in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1948 to John and Adele Leonard. He was the eldest of their seven children and was raised in Horseheads, N.Y. It was a blessing and a privilege for Jack to be born into such a large, loving, and supportive family.
Jack was bestowed with many gifts, both academic and athletic. He graduated from Notre Dame High School in Elmira, NY, where he was an honor student and standout 3-sport athlete who had exceptional success with football. He was awarded the Ernie Davis Award in high school. Jack graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., where he played football for the Crusaders graduating with a degree in Political Science. Jack always valued his Jesuit, Catholic education.
After graduation he was invited to tryout with the San Diego Chargers. With a strong desire to serve his country, Jack was accepted to the U.S. Navy’s Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. He became a pilot, flying the P3 Orion. He was a plane Commander in VP-11 and VP-92. Jack served his country during times of peace and in times of conflict. He was also assigned to teach for the Navy at the Newport Education and Training Center in Newport, R.I. He retired at the rank of Commander after serving with honor for 26 years. Jack cherished memories of flying and of lasting friendships forged during his military service.
Jack and his family lived for 17 years in Newport, where Jack worked as a consultant for KPMG. He also received his MBA at Bryant University in Rhode Island. Wonderful, lifelong friends were discovered on Aquidneck Island and many adventures were spent out on the water; Jack sailed and raced the Shields class out of Ida Lewis Yacht Club, as well as cruised Narragansett Bay with family and friends. Moving to Maine in 1987, Jack worked in manufacturing prior to building his own successful career in financial services with Northeast Planning Associates.
Indeed, it was the role of “dad” that gave Jack his greatest joy and sense of accomplishment. Jack was truly a Renaissance man; he loved flying and playing music with friends at the Wiscasset airport, enjoyed lively and thoughtful philosophical and political discussions, thrived off of time spent exploring the great outdoors with friends – fly fishing at Moosehead Lake, boating along Maine’s Mid-Coast, golfing, and tournament and pleasure fishing with friends on Boston’s South Shore. Most notably, Jack enjoyed the simple pleasures of his happy life with his soul-mate Maggie at their home together in Days Ferry where they have lived for the past 32 years.
Everyone who knew or met Jack, understood him to be a person of character and integrity. His moral compass, his dedication to family and friends, and his strong faith never wavered.
Jack is lovingly remembered by his wife, Maggie Leonard; his daughter Martha Delay and her husband Michael (Newbury, Mass.), his daughter Amy Muriti and her husband Guy (Sydney, Australia), and his son John F. Leonard IV (Portland, Maine). There are also four grandchildren who learned so much from their “Grandpa Jack”. Ryan, Maggie, Lauren, and Jack will carry on their grandfather’s legacy of selflessness, kindness, and courage.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, at St. Mary’s Parish in Bath. Burial will be private. To express your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit www.desmondfuneralhomes.com
While a patient at Dana-Farber in Boston and some days having to walk past the children’s clinic, Jack would often remark how hopeful he was for researchers to advance progress toward finding a complete cure for childhood cancer.
In lieu of flowers,
we ask that family and friends consider a donation in Jack’s memory to:
The Jimmy Fund:
www.jimmyfund.org/
Obituary: Eugene Vaughn Billings
Jack Leonard.jpg
WOOLWICH –
“Jack” Leonard lived a wonderful life and was dauntless in his four year battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. He passed peacefully at home on Dec. 6, 2019 under the loving care of his wife of nearly 50 years, Margaret.
Jack was born in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1948 to John and Adele Leonard. He was the eldest of their seven children and was raised in Horseheads, N.Y. It was a blessing and a privilege for Jack to be born into such a large, loving, and supportive family.
Jack was bestowed with many gifts, both academic and athletic. He graduated from Notre Dame High School in Elmira, NY, where he was an honor student and standout 3-sport athlete who had exceptional success with football. He was awarded the Ernie Davis Award in high school. Jack graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., where he played football for the Crusaders graduating with a degree in Political Science. Jack always valued his Jesuit, Catholic education.
After graduation he was invited to tryout with the San Diego Chargers. With a strong desire to serve his country, Jack was accepted to the U.S. Navy’s Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. He became a pilot, flying the P3 Orion. He was a plane Commander in VP-11 and VP-92. Jack served his country during times of peace and in times of conflict. He was also assigned to teach for the Navy at the Newport Education and Training Center in Newport, R.I. He retired at the rank of Commander after serving with honor for 26 years. Jack cherished memories of flying and of lasting friendships forged during his military service.
Jack and his family lived for 17 years in Newport, where Jack worked as a consultant for KPMG. He also received his MBA at Bryant University in Rhode Island. Wonderful, lifelong friends were discovered on Aquidneck Island and many adventures were spent out on the water; Jack sailed and raced the Shields class out of Ida Lewis Yacht Club, as well as cruised Narragansett Bay with family and friends. Moving to Maine in 1987, Jack worked in manufacturing prior to building his own successful career in financial services with Northeast Planning Associates.
Indeed, it was the role of “dad” that gave Jack his greatest joy and sense of accomplishment. Jack was truly a Renaissance man; he loved flying and playing music with friends at the Wiscasset airport, enjoyed lively and thoughtful philosophical and political discussions, thrived off of time spent exploring the great outdoors with friends – fly fishing at Moosehead Lake, boating along Maine’s Mid-Coast, golfing, and tournament and pleasure fishing with friends on Boston’s South Shore. Most notably, Jack enjoyed the simple pleasures of his happy life with his soul-mate Maggie at their home together in Days Ferry where they have lived for the past 32 years.
Everyone who knew or met Jack, understood him to be a person of character and integrity. His moral compass, his dedication to family and friends, and his strong faith never wavered.
Jack is lovingly remembered by his wife, Maggie Leonard; his daughter Martha Delay and her husband Michael (Newbury, Mass.), his daughter Amy Muriti and her husband Guy (Sydney, Australia), and his son John F. Leonard IV (Portland, Maine). There are also four grandchildren who learned so much from their “Grandpa Jack”. Ryan, Maggie, Lauren, and Jack will carry on their grandfather’s legacy of selflessness, kindness, and courage.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, at St. Mary’s Parish in Bath. Burial will be private. To express your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit www.desmondfuneralhomes.com
While a patient at Dana-Farber in Boston and some days having to walk past the children’s clinic, Jack would often remark how hopeful he was for researchers to advance progress toward finding a complete cure for childhood cancer.
In lieu of flowers,
we ask that family and friends consider a donation in Jack’s memory to:
The Jimmy Fund:
www.jimmyfund.org/
Obituary: Eugene Vaughn Billings
Jack Leonard.jpg
