John Richard Leary

John was born on August 8th, 1927, in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin to the late James Daniel Leary and Tirzah May (Dinsdale) Leary.

A man of great dedication, John proudly served his country in two branches of the U.S. Military. He first enlisted in the Navy, serving honorably during World War II. Following his initial service, he continued his commitment by serving in the Army during the Korean war, being honorably discharged from the Army reserve in January 1962 at the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

After his military service, John dedicated over 44 years to his work at Farm Bureau Insurance initially as an Insurance Underwriter, later as a Claims Manager and ending his career as a Rehablitation Manager. He was known for his outgoing personality, his great sense of humor and his dedication to his wife and family. Over the years many coworkers and associates mentioned his positive influence on their lives and careers.

John devoted his life to caring for his wife and four children through a wonderful 68 year marriage. He spent countless hours on the road, driving them to Florida every spring for vacation, bringing them along while attending various conferences and, most notably, making the long trip every weekend to visit them while they spent their summers enjoying the lake at the family cottage.

A graduate of Michigan State College, he was a big fan of Michigan State University (MSU) basketball and football, rarely missing a game, and always ready to cheer on his beloved Spartans.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Patricia, who passed away in 2020; his grandson, Nathaniel R. Bowman, as well as his brother, James Leary, and his sister Helen (Leary) Greenslet.

His legacy is carried on by his four devoted children: Brian (Darlene) Leary, Linda (Gary) Bowman, Patrick Leary, and Jim (Yukiko) Leary, as well as two grandchildren: Kathleen Bowman and Taishi Leary.

A graveside service with full military honors will be held at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Lansing, Michigan. on the 13th of October 2025 at 12:00 PM.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. If you wish to be notified of the details, please contact the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Outreach Mass at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish. Donations can be sent to: Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, 955 Alton Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48823.

Memorial donations may also be made to the Residential Hospice Foundation, 5440 Corporate Drive, Ste. 400, Troy, Michigan, 48098, in honor of John Richard Leary.