Grace Lillian Leonard

After a brief unexpected illness, Grace Lillian Leonard, most recently of Clayton, NC, peacefully passed away the morning of May 25, 2019 surrounded by the love of her four children. She was ninety-six years old.

Named for her mother, she was born Grace Lillian Foster on December 1, 1922 in Queens, NY to Herbert and Grace (Wunder) Foster. She would be their only child. In 1937, she graduated high school from Public School 77, Queens NY.

Always described as a hard worker, she began working at an early age as a tap dancer in local clubs. She loved talking on the phone and served as a telephone switchboard operator. As the need for switchboard operators declined, she transitioned to secretarial work. Her employers consistently praised her hard work ethic and appreciated her cheerful nature. It was at work, in a five and ten cent store, she would wait on a customer who unknowingly would become the love of her life, John “Jack” Thomas Leonard. They married July 6, 1946 at St. Matthias Church in Ridgewood, NY. She was his “Snookie” and he was her “Baby Boy”.

Grace and Jack were only children but they created a large family bound together by love. They had five children over the course of thirteen years. Gary came first followed quickly by Maureen. Then Pat in the middle and in 1960, the twins, Jackie and Johnny. The arrival of the first of nine grandchildren in 1966 meant an added place at the weekly Sunday dinner table in their home in Centereach, NY where three generations gathered, food was abundant, laughter was uproarious, and stories upon stories were told. Grace always cooked Sunday dinner, kicking everyone out of her kitchen and producing comfort food for all.

Grace loved food – everything about it, meal-planning, cooking, baking, creating her own recipes and handing them down. No one left her home hungry. She made certain to learn and remember each family member or friend’s favorite food. Wanting a big cook-out for all the summer holidays, come Labor Day, she would already be excited about the upcoming feasts for Thanksgiving and Christmas. When you visited her, she started by asking “Do you want a little something to eat?” If you declined, she progressed to “Are you sure you don’t want a little something to eat? Eventually, she would put out some food and say “Here, have something to eat!”

Grace took joy and pride in creating things. She was an accomplished, self-taught seamstress and worked magic crocheting afghans, baby sweaters, hats, baby booties, and scarves for family members and friends. While she might start off following a pattern or working from a picture, she made whatever the item was her own by adjusting the design. Everyone could count on her when a wedding or prom dress needed to be altered, a pair of pants had to be hemmed, a patch required placement on a uniform, or when curtains were needed to brighten up a room. She delighted in decorating her home and was eager to change things up. A longstanding family joke was the warning to be cautious when entering the house. You might trip over rearranged furniture just like Jack did one night after coming home from the late shift.

In 1982 upon Jack’s retirement from the Nassau County Police Department, the couple moved from Long Island to North Myrtle Beach to start the next chapter of their lives, the beach years. Jack was diagnosed with cancer shortly after the move. In 1985, Grace and Jack moved to Carolina Beach, NC to be near daughters, Pat and Jackie. The couple loved their years together at the beach and took advantage of all it had to offer. The first of what would eventually be nineteen great grand-children was born in 1991. After sharing forty-six years of married life, Grace was predeceased by Jack in January of 1992.

Grace continued to live in Carolina Beach for twenty-three more years, learning how to drive and serving as Guardian Ad Litem for children in New Hanover County. She moved from living in an oceanfront home to a lovely beach house in the center of town. Whether spending time on her porch drinking a cup of coffee or sipping a glass of wine, she was content with her two dogs, Kelsey and Pepper by her side. With Gary and his family already in Florida, Maureen and her family and Johnny and his family relocated to Wilmington, NC. This large family from Long Island was now all in the south. Four generations of the family would still gather, still sharing food, still sharing laughter, and still telling story after story around the table.

A little over four years ago, Grace moved to Clayton, NC to live with her daughter, Jackie. She quickly made new friends, continued to enjoy a glass of wine on the porch, and was beloved by Jackie’s two dogs, Skylar and Tori. Sophie, a Yorkshire Terrier joined the family, specifically chosen for Grace. A lifelong lover of dogs, Grace was happily greeted by nearly fifteen dogs as she passed by the rainbow bridge.

She spent sixty-one years of life on Long Island and although she would live over a third of her life in the North Carolina, there was no mistaking she was a New Yorker. If she asked you if you wanted a pie, she meant pizza. Her accent and pace of speech, her cravings for a decent bagel and “real” deli food, her love of Frank Sinatra and Broadway shows, she lived at the beach but a part of her heart always remained up north.

Whether you knew her as Mom, Grandma, G.G., Grace, or Gracie, she was always loved and will be forever missed.

Surviving are four children: Maureen Fasano (John) of Wilmington, NC; Patricia Leonard (Susan) of Carolina Beach, NC; Jackie Leonard of Clayton, NC; and John Leonard (Susan) of Wilmington, NC. She is also survived by Zena Leonard of Lighthouse Point, FL, the wife of her son Gary Thomas Leonard who predeceased Grace in 2018.

Additionally, eight grandchildren survive: Mickey Fasano (Sherri), Colleen Tranchon (Glenn), Kim Dejewski (Steve), John Fasano, Jr. (Liz), Kevin Leonard (Jill), Jill Leonard, Thomas “T.J.” Leonard (Christian), and Kerri Leonard. She was predeceased by grandson, Gary Thomas Leonard, Jr., and granddaughter in-law, Heather Love Fasano.

Nineteen great-grandchildren complete the family: G.C., Brittany, Brandon, Tyler, Courtney, Michael, Ashley, Steven, Mandi, Alexa, Morgan, Austin, Shawn, Jordan, Brooke, Cole, Colbie Grace, Brady, and Emma Grace.

Many individuals helped care for Grace as she grew older. Her children are grateful for everyone who helped in ways big and small. Her children also express heartfelt thanks to the staff, especially those on the second floor, of Johnston Health in Smithfield, NC. for the compassionate, respectful, and outstanding care of Grace. In lieu of flowers, her children request memorial gifts to recognize either Grace’s love of dogs or hope for a cure for cancer. Please consider a gift to either Paws Place at http://www.pawsplace.org or to the American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org.

Visiting hours will be from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. immediately followed by a prayer service at 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at McLaurin Funeral Home; 12830 US 70 Business Highway West, Clayton, NC 27520. She will be buried with Jack, U.S.M.C., in New Bern National Cemetery at 11:00 am, Thursday, May 30, 2019. Online condolences may be expressed at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries.