Leo Adrien Letourneau

Leo Adrien Letourneau, born March 5, 1928, in Worcester, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at his home in Tampa on Friday, September 13, 2024. He is the son of William Camille Letourneau and Dora Marie (LeMay) Letourneau. Family lore suggests that Leo was a favored child, which is saying something since he was one of 15 children. His siblings were: William, Loretta, Yvonne, Wilfred, Hector, Jeannette, Raymond, Rene, Anita, Gloria, Arthur, Marie, Alice, and Marie Rose.

Leo’s father was a Fireman for the City of Worcester. His mother stayed at home and raised the 15 children. Leo said that his family was always financially stable-even through the Depression since firemen were well paid. He seldom shared childhood memories, but Leo did say that he had a great time as a kid. With a family that large, there was always someone to play with. Early in his life, Leo was recognized for his intellect and was awarded a full paid scholarship to a very prestigious school, Assumption Preparatory Academy, where he excelled at French, English, Math, Science and Music. Assumption was a school run by the Catholic priests order of Augustinians of the Assumption. Leo was a man of tremendous faith in God. He always said that there were three important aspects of life: God, Country and Family…in that order. His faith in God was the most important reality of his life. A lifelong Catholic, Leo was a shy, quiet and humble man. His devotion to God and the Catholic Church provided Leo with a deep and abiding sense of duty to both. He had a beautiful, operatic singing voice that he believed was a vocation that required him to serve as a music minister in church. Leo led the singing at Mass for more than 60 years and performed semi-professionally in numerous productions with the San Carlo Opera Company, the Tampa Little Theatre and occasional performances at the Columbia Restaurant.

Leo’s devotion to his Country led him into military service. After graduating from Assumption, he joined the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict. It was at a USO dance where Leo met the love of his life, Mary Lillian Jobe. She was his beloved wife for over 73 years, before her death on July 23, 2024. After leaving the Air Force, Leo worked for RCA where he was a TV repairman. Back in the day, his family had a TV sooner than most of his neighbors. After that, he worked for many years at Ryder Truck Lines until he retired as the Terminal Manager.

Together Leo and Lillian had seven children. Leo Michael Letourneau (Vicki), Lillian Marie Letourneau, Robert Joseph Letourneau, John Adrien Letourneau (Hollye), Paul Anthony Letourneau (Sandi), Ronald Edward Letourneau and Jean Annette Letourneau Rosado (Jimmy).

Leo was a natural athlete. He played baseball with his sons and he umpired games at the East Point Little League field. Leo was a great swimmer. When skateboards were all the rage, he got on one and showed his kids how to do it. When all the neighbors hired well drilling trucks to dig irrigation wells, he watched how the trucks did the work. He figured out how to do it himself. With almost no help from anyone, he went to his back yard, picked up a shovel and a water hose, then dug his own well.

Most of all, Leo loved his family. Often at bedtime, he enthralled his young children with a powerful telling of Jack and The Beanstalk. His “fee, fi, fo, fum” was an especially wonderful experience. He entertained his young daughters and granddaughters by dancing them around on his feet as he sang them songs. After he retired, Leo enjoyed traveling with Lillian. They traveled to Germany, Ireland, Costa Rica, Canada and the Caribbean. He was by Lillian’s side as the two of them watched after numerous grandchildren. Together, Lillian and Leo provided care to two sons who passed away after extended illnesses. During the last two decades of his life, his surviving sons were his best friends.

Leo gave all of his children and grandchildren the gift of music. One of the most endearing things about Leo was the way he conveyed happiness. It was his spontaneous expression of joy to burst into song. There is a recording somewhere of Leo singing “Without A Song”. The lyrics include:

Without a song, the day would never end.

Without a song, the road would never bend,

When things go wrong, a man ain’t got a friend

Without a song.

This could be the anthem of his life.

Leo’s memorial services will be held at Mary Help of Christians Church in Tampa beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 20, 2024.

A visitation for Leo will be held Friday, September 20, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Mary Help of Christians Church, 6400 E Chelsea St, Tampa, FL 33610. A funeral mass will occur Friday, September 20, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Mary Help of Christians Church, 6400 E Chelsea St, Tampa, FL 33610. A committal will occur Friday, September 20, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park, 4202 E Lake Ave, Tampa, FL 33610.