Marcia Leonard

Marcia (Pelletier) Leonard passed away on March 27, 2023, at the age of 85. The daughter of Valmore and Mary (Swasey) Pelletier, she was born in Massachusetts in April of 1937 and was a graduate of Norwood High School’s class of 1955 as well as an attendee of Wheaton College. For more than 50 years, Marcia made her home on Cape Cod where she met her late husband, Jack Leonard. They were happily married for almost 28 years until his passing in 2016.

Marcia was a vibrant and active woman even into her later years, and she kept many interests and hobbies. Alongside her husband, Jack, Marcia was an enthusiastic traveler, often vacationing in Aruba during the wintertime and making frequent trips off-Cape to visit her mother and sisters or to attend occasional productions of live theatre in Boston.

Literature was another of Marcia’s favorite pastimes, and she was always in search of the next great story or poem to transport her. At one time, she started a poetry group for some of her close friends. The group met monthly, though some of its members have reported that they participated more for Marcia’s company than for the poetry itself.

At home, she was a talented craftswoman and had an undeniable artistic flair – something evident in her many knitting and sewing projects as well as her hand-painted pots and pieces of decoupage. She loved to decorate, frequently rearranging furniture and always seeking out unique pieces of Americana that added to her home’s unmistakable colonial theme and genuine warmth. Her motif was inspired by her profound interest in history, especially in that of New England and the American Revolution. She spent hours driving down the back roads of the Cape, jaunts which nourished her spirit on a daily basis and provided reminders of the timelessness of Cape Cod and its connections to the past. More than a place of residence, Cape Cod was a part of Marcia’s heart and soul.

In her professional career, Marcia was the co-owner of Cape Cod Gymnastics which she operated for over 30 years alongside her longtime friend, Dorothy Vietze. Marcia will be remembered fondly by the countless students and families whose lives she impacted both athletically and personally. After retiring in 2002, she continued to be an active member in the Cape Cod community, serving as a volunteer at the Fisherman’s House Thrift Shop and as a docent at the Judah Baker Windmill on Bass River. Ever full of generosity, in her spare time, she often knitted hats for people in need and collected donations for the Yarmouth Food Pantry.

Still, Marcia will be remembered above all else for her endless capacity for love of friends and family. She had numerous connections across the Cape, many whom she’d known for a lifetime, and yet she always seemed to be adding new companions to her roster. Her most steadfast companion was certainly her husband, Jack. Her best friends were undoubtedly her sisters, Nancy and Becky. Her most cherished possessions were indisputably her children, Sharon, Lisa, Russell, and her step-children, Jennifer, and Kerry. Her favorite activities most definitely included doting on her grandchildren, Daniel, Jeffrey, Eva, and Alec, and her great-granddaughter, Ellie. Although she has passed, her friends and family will continue to cherish her unmatched ability to bring people together and to brighten the spirits of everyone around her. Nothing made her happier than entertaining on her deck, and she was at her best when the grill was hot and there was a glass of wine that could be enjoyed amid the laughter of friends and family, or during Christmastime beside a warm fire and a pile of gifts too large for reason (along with jars of her infamous party mix!). Her loving spirit, endless generosity, carefree approach to life, and boisterous, one-of-a-kind laugh will be sorely missed and held in the hearts of all who knew her.

Marcia is survived by three children; Sharon Dixon (Nat Santoro), Lisa Forness (Kevin Forness), and Russell Kingman (Shannon Eldredge), and two step-children, Jennifer Leonard, and Kerry Leonard. She has two sisters who survived her; Nancy Smith (Dick Smith) and Rebecca Nightingale (Jerry Nightingale). Her husband, Jack Leonard, predeceased her in 2016, and her brother, Valmore Pelletier Jr. (Leslie Pelletier) pre-deceased her in 2020. Marcia is also survived by four grandchildren; Daniel Bass (Holly Buechel), Jeffrey Bass, Eva Dixon (Tyler Hutchinson) and Alec Dixon. She had one great grandchild, Ellie Bass.

A visitation service will be held at the Doane, Beal, & Ames Funeral Home on Rt. 134 in South Dennis, MA, on Monday, April 17, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A funeral service will be held at the South Yarmouth United Methodist Church on Old Main Street in South Yarmouth at 11:00 am on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Yarmouth Food Pantry, 845 Rt. 28, South Yarmouth, MA 02664. The Yarmouth Food Pantry is a worthy cause which Marcia championed for many years.

Please note that due to construction on the Sagamore Bridge, there have been continual traffic back-ups getting on and off the Cape. Please plan on adding extra time to your trip if you are travelling from off-Cape.