Obituary of James J. Leonard

James J. Leonard, 87, of Paterson, passed away in his home on March 5, 2021. James was born in Paterson on April 24, 1933 to the late John and Isabel (McGuckin) Leonard. He proudly served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1956. He later worked as a machinist for Nabisco in Fair Lawn for more than 20 years before teaching at Passaic County Community College and also inventing. He was a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society and was a devoted parishioner and Eucharist minister at Our Lady of Pompei Church in Paterson. 

James was the beloved husband of Ingrid (Bloss) Leonard for 54 years; he was the adored father of Diane Cohen and her husband Gary, Christina Drews and her husband Patrick and Nancy Conklin; and the cherished grandfather of Derek, Paige, Damian, Ben, Matt, Aidan and Evan. 

Visitation will be Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 2:00-4:00pm at Santangelo Funeral Home, 635 McBride Ave., Woodland Park. A funeral Mass will be offered Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 9:30am at Our Lady of Pompei Church, 70 Murray Ave., Woodland Park. Burial will follow with military burial detail at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations for James may be sent to the:

American Cancer Society

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