Francis Leonard

Francis J. Leonard of Keeseville, formerly of Tupper Lake, passed away peacefully September 11, 2011 at CVPH Medical Center after a brief illness.

Francis was born in Norfolk, NY on November 30, 1915, the son of the late Michael (Pearley) and Charlotte Quigley Leonard. He moved to Tupper Lake at age 7 when his father became ill from working at a paint factory. Because of his father’s illness, Francis began working at age 8 on a farm for $5 a week. He would get up at 4:00 am to milk the 10 cows, clean the barn and feed the cows. Then he would go to school where he worked as the janitor to start the fire, sweep the floors, clean the chalkboard, then attend class. After school he went back to the farm to milk the cows again.

Francis had to quit school at age 15 to help care for his family. He worked at the Oval Wood Dish and in the woods. In the spring of 1934 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps at Cross Clearing near Tupper Lake. He worked there for 3 years, clearing trees along highways, fighting fires. His time in the CCC is documented in the book "Adirondack Civilian Conservation Corps Camps" by Martin Podskoch.

Francis also worked in Plattsburgh at Cliff Haven Summer School as a glassware washer from 4 am till the evening, quitting that job after getting sick and losing 15 lbs. He then worked in Lyon Mt. remodeling iron company homes. After that he worked at the Swenson Camp in Coreys, cutting wood and taking care of their golf course. In 1942 he was drafted into the Army, where he was stationed in the motor pool at Greenwich Air Base in England. He received an honorable discharge in 1945 and came back to the States on the Queen Mary. He then worked in the woods until 1951 when he got a job as a painter at Sunmount VA in Tupper Lake. When the VA hospital closed in Tupper Lake he transferred to Montrose, NY’s VA Hospital; coming home every weekend to help his mother and family.

In 1973, he married Edith Gale DeShaw. Francis retired shortly afterward and he and Edith made their home on McLaughlin Ave. in Tupper Lake where he continued working hard to maintain beautiful gardens and improve their home. Edith died in 2001, cared for by Francis in her final months and his family presented him with an honorary "nursing degree." After Edith’s passing, he continued to keep a clean and tidy home and his flower gardens, shoveling snow off his roofs well into his nineties before moving to the Keeseville home of Jan and David Washburn in 2008 where he adopted cats Jesse, Miss Kitty and dog Coco.

Francis is survived by three stepdaughters and sons-in law; Theresa (DeShaw) and Dayt Cleaveland, Mary (DeShaw) and Jim Blanchard of Raquette Lake, NY; Jan (DeShaw) and David Washburn of Keeseville; a daugther-in law Pam Mason of Raquette Lake; a sister and brother in law Ruth and Ernie Kenny of Massachusetts, brother Eddie Leonard of Tupper Lake, brother-in- law Jim Pendland and sister-in-law Monica Leonard He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Edith, a stepson Roy DeShaw, a great granddaughter Bethany, brothers George, John, Edgar, and sisters Cecilia (Pendland), Margaret (Lamoy) and twin infants who died at birth.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to North Country Life Flight or the charity of your choice in Francis’ memory. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, September 14th from 11 a.m. - 12:45 pm at the Stuart-Fortune-Keough funeral home in Tupper Lake. A Mass of Christian burial will follow at 1 pm at St. Alphonsus church. Burial with full military honors will be in the parish cemetery.

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