Thomas G. Leonard

Thomas “Jerry” Leonard, age 86, of Nokomis, died on May 16, 2012. He was born in New York City on April 16, 1926. Jerry was a WWII Army veteran who served in the South Pacific and a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Jerry traveled to over 100 countries throughout his career. While in Colombia in the mid-1950s, he met his wife Maricel. Jerry retired from the Fleer Corporation in Philadelphia where he headed up the international division for over 30 years. In 2004, Jerry and Maricel moved permanently to Nokomis. A long-time fan of the Georgetown Hoyas and the New York Giants, Jerry was well known for his humor, stories, and all things Irish. Jerry is survived by his wife of 53 years, Maricel, of Nokomis; daughters Diana Meltzer and husband Richard of Fairfax, VA, and Claudia Young of Southampton, PA; son Kevin and wife Barbara of Feasterville, PA; grandchildren Patrick, Erik, and Maria Young, and Christopher and Theresa Leonard; and nieces Irene Gregory and Sandy Murphy. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Osprey on Monday, May 21 at 10 a.m. Burial will take place in Pennsylvania at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Tidewell Hospice, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34238; The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, ATTN: Tribute Gifts, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008-0780; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 425 S Tamiami Trail, PO Box 1097, Osprey, FL 34229 or to St. Francis Animal Rescue of Venice, 1925 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34293. Service Information Date: Monday, May 21, 2012 Time: 10:00 am