Harry G. Leet

Harry G. (Skip) Leet, 83, passed away on August 20th at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. He was the husband of Hope Leet for 38 years. Both were previously married. Born in Washington D.C., Skip was raised in Arlington, Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland. Skip was the son of Bryan and Eleanor Leet.

Skip attended St. Mary’s High school in Annapolis, where he starred in lacrosse and football, and was later inducted in St. Mary’s Hall of Fame. He attended Johns Hopkins University on an academic scholarship, where he played football and lacrosse. Skip held records in football, including most career touchdowns; most carries per game, most touchdowns per season and was All Conference, All Mason Dixon and All American fullback. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in Engineering, and was inducted into the Johns Hopkins University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.

Skip took a position with IBM and within a year was drafted into the Army. He was stationed at Red Stone Arsenal in Alabama, and honorably discharged in 1963. He joined the Peace Corps where he served for two years in Kenya, Africa. He later returned to IBM Africa served as Country Manager of Ethiopia then transferred to IBM Europe as a product manager. During his time overseas, he was selected three times to the East African Rugby team and to the British Rugby Club.

Skip returned to the States, met and married Hope Hargrave from West Harrison, NY. They lived in Connecticut, and Charlemont, Massachusetts. Skip retired and moved to Vero Beach, Florida in 1990. He started his own business, H&H Professional Home Inspections. He volunteered at Our Father’s Soup Kitchen in Gifford, which his mother founded in the 1980’s and with Habitat for Humanity for 20 years. Skip was instrumental in creating, developing, and building Whispering Pines a 71-unit housing facility for migrant farm worker families. He was a weekly communicant at St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Sebastian.

He loved fishing, was an excellent carpenter and loved building projects. Skip built his own home in Vero Beach. He will be long remembered for his wry smile, the sparkle in his eyes, his kindness, and willingness to help anyone in need. He was a wonderful husband, loving father, grandfather and friend.

He is survived by his wife, Hope; children Kendel, Jim and Father Scott Leet, OFM Cap; stepchildren Bill, Mike and Todd Tucci; 17 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; a sister Eleanor Rank and brother Andy. Skip was predeceased by his daughter Debra, both parents, and brother Don.

The funeral service will be held on September 10th at St. Sebastian Church in Sebastian, FL at 10:00am. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Mary’s Province of the Capuchin Order, 30 Gedney Park Drive, White Plains, NY 10605 or The Fellsmere Community Enrichment Program at 10074 Esperanza Circle, Fellsmere, FL 32948

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FountainheadFuneralHome.com for the Leet family.