Mary J. Leonard

Mary J. Leonard, 88, of Bloomfield, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 17, 2023, following a long battle with dementia. She was the widow of the late Robert T. Leonard, whom she married on July 4, 1959.

Born in Hudson, Michigan on March 17, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Robert S. and Veda (Manning) Johnson. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics in 1957 from Michigan State University. Mary made her career as a dietitian, moving to Connecticut after her dietetics residency to work at Hartford Hospital, and later as a consulting dietitian for several nursing facilities in central Connecticut.

Mary loved music, animals, good books, knitting, gardening, nature, and spending time with family and friends. She had a quick wit and sharp sense of humor. She could create new lyrics on the fly to make songs fit any occasion, or invent a limerick on the spot. She laughed readily, and sometimes could not stop giggling when it would have been prudent. She adopted “used” and abandoned cats and dogs and gave them a great home. She played tennis and golf, enjoyed photography, and bicycled all around Wethersfield, CT, her home for many years. Mary volunteered with the League of Women Voters, and attended and volunteered at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield and later the Unitarian Society of Hartford. She was a member of church choirs and choruses throughout her life, adding her clear soprano voice to the music.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Barbara Leonard and her husband Daniel Marra of Winslow, ME, and Jane Ellis and her husband Robert of Hampton, CT. She also leaves two beloved grandchildren, Robert James, III and Quinn Christopher, as well as her sister- and brother-in-law Susan and Edward McGee, a niece and four nephews and their children. Besides her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Robert C. Johnson and his wife Mary Jane.

The family would like to thank the staff at Seabury Retirement Community who cared for and were friends to Mary for many years, and the staff of Masonicare Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice, especially those focused on animals, music, or dementia research and care.

The family will gather at Seabury to celebrate and remember Mary’s life. Her final resting place will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel of Wethersfield.

To leave a message for the family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com