ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, John Leonard, 79 years old, born on February 28, 1942, and passed away on July 10, 2021. We will remember him forever.
August 3, 2021
August 3, 2021
Tribute to Uncle Jack
John Arthur Leonard (Uncle Jack) a very much loved man. Key words come to mind for me when I reflect on him and the touches he made on my life. First, he was my Uncle and also my Godfather. I also see him as a creative genius just like I do my father, Uncle Jack’s oldest brother Wade. I see those skills in my other Leonard brother Uncle’s Art and James. The Leonard Brothers were a force to be reckoned with and what an honor to be called a Leonard and be part of this family tree.
The skills that Uncle Jack imparted to me, have helped me in my two careers of Broadcasting and teaching. Growing up Uncle Jack supported all his children and nieces and nephews by sharing stories. He was a great storyteller ( just like his Dad) and this continued in to the lives of his grandchildren and great nieces and nephews. His stories of his career jobs that he did were riveting. They were enlarged with details that made you want more. Those stories started in his childhood. Family stories of removing a tree for playing baseball was told to all generations who would hear. Uncle Jack loved his Cleveland Indians. There is also his college experiment of understanding starch levels in mashed potatoes. It has been told of the years that Uncle Jack at one point tested his mothers cooking skills by flinging the potatoes at the dinning room window. If you knew Jack’s parents, then you knew how well this activity went over. (LOL)There are the stories of the Uncle Jack’s courtship with Aunt Cathie but we will just let some stories be oral tradition.
Stories would continue to grow as families grew. One vacation when Wade Leonard’s visited the Jack Leonard’s in Raleigh, North Carolina a motion picture was born. Uncle Jack and family moved into a new subdivision that birth the movie “Arbor Day”. Jack designed the story around the fact the children of this family wanted to give their parents a present for taking care of them. SOO for Arbor Day (save the trees idea) the kids would build their parents a house. Uncle Jack’s subdivision provided all the set and props need that would make George Lucas cry. This movie is in the process of being transferred to thumb drive since the video camera it was recorded on, no longer works.
On these vacations there were also language education classes and cooking shows before they were popular on PBS. Language classes included the ever-popular PIG-LATIN and with the BBQ cooking shows it was a big treat. Uncle Jack was a linguist. He relished in the language of his German and Polish heritage by teaching language skills. Helping his students with saying the word and the understanding of the origination of such word. It wouldn’t be a class with out Uncle Jack saying something like: “siujrhbiurtvhaishvunobditeriocopemoritboib” which means “Someday the Cleveland Indians will win the World Series”. We all loved his hope messages. I use this language when I teach older high school students. To this day even though they are older and have their own families we still look, smile and speak the way Uncle Jack displayed.
Uncle Jack was also gifted with writing songs. Music is something all the Leonard brothers shared in with different skills. Jack’s brother James is a sound engineer, brother Art can play guitar and sing, late brother Wade was also a lyric writer (he rewrote musicals) and Uncle Jack was brilliant at rewriting jingles and songs. Jack rewrote the Oscar Mayer jingle to highlight his sister-in-law’s skills at making gravy for hotdogs. Uncle Jack’s favorite song to rewrite was the Gordon Lightfoot classic “Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald”. This song is looked upon as great song for radio broadcasters when one is sick at work. The 10-minute length of the song can help in a time of need. Uncle Jack has rewritten the song for the holiday of thanksgiving and other events less known. OH the fun we had collaborating. I rewrote the very same song for their 50th wedding anniversary.
I have been very blessed to be born into this family. I was blessed to have an Uncle/Godfather who will forever have made the impression of the value family and learn skills that last a life time. Uncle Jack – I love you, I will miss you and “ isjdrobhjopsinorgjmovjiosnlaibanoahs—nice driveway”. Love--  Lori
July 30, 2021
July 30, 2021
Dad is remembered lovingly for his inability to remember movie quotes correctly, his love of Miracle Whip salad dressing and Velveeta on sandwiches, and his willingness to seek out pickled foods of every sort. There was no task, however small, that he wouldn’t put off until he had been reminded about it 1,000 times. He was as an avid Cleveland-sports fan which rarely brought him any joy. He asked about tomorrow night’s dinner while you were eating today’s. His gastronomic interests were diverse and at times, unappetizing. He loved Lady Vols basketball and UT men’s baseball -- both of which he followed closely. He regaled us with ridiculous stories and created ear-splittingly hilarious songs that remain favorites of his children, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. He was a top notch photographer and, to the annoyance of his starving family, he forced us all to wait so he could photograph every Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner prior to consumption. He was a kind, affable person who never met a neighbor, cashier, or server he didn’t want to talk to for a little too long. His taste in movies, music, comic books and other pop culture was dated and often questionable, but his collection of graphic novels, comic books, MAD magazines, DVD’s and CD’s is enviable. As a kids soccer coach who never played the game, his advice to “take it to the corner and cross it” remains on point. We hope he has found peaceful waters where the fish are plentiful and biting. We will remember him with all of our love and already miss him terribly.

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Recent Tributes
August 3, 2021
August 3, 2021
Tribute to Uncle Jack
John Arthur Leonard (Uncle Jack) a very much loved man. Key words come to mind for me when I reflect on him and the touches he made on my life. First, he was my Uncle and also my Godfather. I also see him as a creative genius just like I do my father, Uncle Jack’s oldest brother Wade. I see those skills in my other Leonard brother Uncle’s Art and James. The Leonard Brothers were a force to be reckoned with and what an honor to be called a Leonard and be part of this family tree.
The skills that Uncle Jack imparted to me, have helped me in my two careers of Broadcasting and teaching. Growing up Uncle Jack supported all his children and nieces and nephews by sharing stories. He was a great storyteller ( just like his Dad) and this continued in to the lives of his grandchildren and great nieces and nephews. His stories of his career jobs that he did were riveting. They were enlarged with details that made you want more. Those stories started in his childhood. Family stories of removing a tree for playing baseball was told to all generations who would hear. Uncle Jack loved his Cleveland Indians. There is also his college experiment of understanding starch levels in mashed potatoes. It has been told of the years that Uncle Jack at one point tested his mothers cooking skills by flinging the potatoes at the dinning room window. If you knew Jack’s parents, then you knew how well this activity went over. (LOL)There are the stories of the Uncle Jack’s courtship with Aunt Cathie but we will just let some stories be oral tradition.
Stories would continue to grow as families grew. One vacation when Wade Leonard’s visited the Jack Leonard’s in Raleigh, North Carolina a motion picture was born. Uncle Jack and family moved into a new subdivision that birth the movie “Arbor Day”. Jack designed the story around the fact the children of this family wanted to give their parents a present for taking care of them. SOO for Arbor Day (save the trees idea) the kids would build their parents a house. Uncle Jack’s subdivision provided all the set and props need that would make George Lucas cry. This movie is in the process of being transferred to thumb drive since the video camera it was recorded on, no longer works.
On these vacations there were also language education classes and cooking shows before they were popular on PBS. Language classes included the ever-popular PIG-LATIN and with the BBQ cooking shows it was a big treat. Uncle Jack was a linguist. He relished in the language of his German and Polish heritage by teaching language skills. Helping his students with saying the word and the understanding of the origination of such word. It wouldn’t be a class with out Uncle Jack saying something like: “siujrhbiurtvhaishvunobditeriocopemoritboib” which means “Someday the Cleveland Indians will win the World Series”. We all loved his hope messages. I use this language when I teach older high school students. To this day even though they are older and have their own families we still look, smile and speak the way Uncle Jack displayed.
Uncle Jack was also gifted with writing songs. Music is something all the Leonard brothers shared in with different skills. Jack’s brother James is a sound engineer, brother Art can play guitar and sing, late brother Wade was also a lyric writer (he rewrote musicals) and Uncle Jack was brilliant at rewriting jingles and songs. Jack rewrote the Oscar Mayer jingle to highlight his sister-in-law’s skills at making gravy for hotdogs. Uncle Jack’s favorite song to rewrite was the Gordon Lightfoot classic “Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald”. This song is looked upon as great song for radio broadcasters when one is sick at work. The 10-minute length of the song can help in a time of need. Uncle Jack has rewritten the song for the holiday of thanksgiving and other events less known. OH the fun we had collaborating. I rewrote the very same song for their 50th wedding anniversary.
I have been very blessed to be born into this family. I was blessed to have an Uncle/Godfather who will forever have made the impression of the value family and learn skills that last a life time. Uncle Jack – I love you, I will miss you and “ isjdrobhjopsinorgjmovjiosnlaibanoahs—nice driveway”. Love--  Lori
July 30, 2021
July 30, 2021
Dad is remembered lovingly for his inability to remember movie quotes correctly, his love of Miracle Whip salad dressing and Velveeta on sandwiches, and his willingness to seek out pickled foods of every sort. There was no task, however small, that he wouldn’t put off until he had been reminded about it 1,000 times. He was as an avid Cleveland-sports fan which rarely brought him any joy. He asked about tomorrow night’s dinner while you were eating today’s. His gastronomic interests were diverse and at times, unappetizing. He loved Lady Vols basketball and UT men’s baseball -- both of which he followed closely. He regaled us with ridiculous stories and created ear-splittingly hilarious songs that remain favorites of his children, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. He was a top notch photographer and, to the annoyance of his starving family, he forced us all to wait so he could photograph every Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner prior to consumption. He was a kind, affable person who never met a neighbor, cashier, or server he didn’t want to talk to for a little too long. His taste in movies, music, comic books and other pop culture was dated and often questionable, but his collection of graphic novels, comic books, MAD magazines, DVD’s and CD’s is enviable. As a kids soccer coach who never played the game, his advice to “take it to the corner and cross it” remains on point. We hope he has found peaceful waters where the fish are plentiful and biting. We will remember him with all of our love and already miss him terribly.
His Life

His Obituary

July 30, 2021
John (Jack) A. Leonard, 79, passed quietly in the hospital on July 10, 2021. 

Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1942, to Wade and Doris Leonard, he was the second oldest of four super-smart, handy, tech geek boys.  After graduating from Parma (OH) High School in 1960, John studied chemical engineering at Fenn College (now known as Cleveland State University) and then began a career with Union Carbide.  He worked at Union Carbide for 30+ years as a chemical safety engineer and later practiced as a certified safety professional and process safety auditor and consultant out of ABS Consulting in Knoxville.   His professional life caused multiple relocations up and down the east coast from West Virginia, to New York, to Florida, to North Carolina, to Pennsylvania, to Connecticut, and finally to Knoxville, Tennessee where he lived the last 20+ years.  John loved family, food, travel, Bob Dylan, photography (winning a few awards from time to time), and UT sports, especially the men’s baseball team and the Lady Vols.

He is survived by Cathie, his loving wife of 53 years; his two sons, Jeffrey and Jason; Jason’s wife, Kelly; three grandchildren - Julia, Josef, and Alek; and his brothers - Art and Jimmy, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that you make a donation in his memory to the American Cancer Society or the American Lung Association.

 
Recent stories
July 30, 2021
To all that have known our friend John Leonard, I first met Jack when my now son in law took a liking to my daughter kelly. A cheerful individual with inquisitive questions.I knew at once I liked this guy!We discussed the installation of a French drain in his maple ave home, which later led to a nursery trip to Clinton for shrubery for his yard,I told jack the only prerequisite would be that he would have to buy the crew breakfast the next morning.He was excited to oblige. What seemed like a long time but was actually shortl my friend moved off to Knoxville tenn taking everyone with him even my daughter.Jason and kelly were married and off to start a beautiful family,and even thought it was 800 miles away and my heart was broken,I felt a calming feeling cause I knew my friend John Leonard was there with them to watch over them.From time to time my wife  son and I would visit the Leonard’s down in good ol tenn and take an occasional trip to flea markets with jack,a wheeler dealer.I always had a good time! I especially was appreciative to jack for the trips to sporting events with my son which there was many.A wonderful caring person who was a loving grandfather to our grandchildren,who we will dearly miss.

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