Eugenia Babs"" (Beres) Leonard

Eugenia “Babs” (Beres) Leonard, 91, of Wethersfield, beloved wife for 63 years of the late Frank V. Leonard, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family and friends at Ellis Manor on Thursday, November 5, 2015. Born in Hartford on January 18, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Gustave and Bessie (Markjohn) Beres. Babs worked for the State of CT Labor Dept. as a fraud fact finder. She enjoyed dancing, especially the Jitter Bug, and was always described as being “light on her feet.” She also enjoyed traveling throughout her life with Frank and their children, her sisters Era Joan and Angeline, brother-in-law Alexander and many friends. Many wonderful vacations were shared in the Caribbean, on cruises with her family and visiting Europe, where Babs particularly loved England and Greece. Many family memories were made on weekends spent at the Old Saybrook home of her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Angie and Bill Sabatinello. Babs was an avid fan of sports, especially the UCONN Women’s basketball team, but more than anything she loved cheering on her son “Buddy’s team.” Her cheers could be heard throughout the stadium. She was a dedicated mother to her sons and their families. She will be dearly missed by her two sons, James and his wife Nancy of Wethersfield and Frank and his wife Kathy of Southborough, MA and their children Maria and Sarah; one sister, Angeline “Kay” Soupel of Wethersfield and her niece, Terri Ann and her husband John and their children Amy, Matt and Keri Ellen, all of Newtown. She was predeceased by her sister, Era Joan Beres; her brother-in-law, Alexander Soupel and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Angela and William Sabatinello. Many thanks to the caregivers that assisted Babs’ husband Frank for 15 years with providing care to Babs at home and to the Ellis Manor family that seamlessly provided excellent love and caring for the next seven years. On behalf of the Leonard family, we are eternally grateful for the love and respect given to our family by the Ellis Manor staff to assist our mother to move through her journey with grace, dignity and being with her as she lived her life to the fullest.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday (November 10) at 10:30 a.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield. Burial will follow in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Family and friends may call prior to the service, from 9-10:30 a.m. at the funeral chapel. Donations in Babs’ memory may be made to the Ellis Manor Employee Appreciation Fund, Attn: Judy Johnson-Administrator, 210 George St., Hartford, CT 06114. To share a memory of Babs with her family, please visit www.desopo.com.