Leo G. Leitner, Jr. was born in Mahanoy City, PA on April 4, 1934. He died on November 27, 2023 after complications from a heart procedure. He was 89 years old when we said our goodbyes.
He leaves his loving wife of 62 years, Marilyn. He is also survived by his children, Leo III (Suzanne), Paul, Gregory and Catherine; his grandchildren, Travis (Danielle), Carly (Mark), Matthew (Riley), Patrick (Eliza), Mac (Emily), Leo, Jacob, and Adam; and his great grandchildren, Nick, Jessa & Wyatt. His son, Joseph, passed away in 2019.
Leo was a gentle giant with a quiet demeanor, welcoming personality and huge heart. He was known for his sharp intelligence, brilliant memory, sly humor, kindness & generosity along with his stalwart faith. He was a caring husband, father and Pop Pop, an amazing coach, and an active church member into his later years. He was also a veteran.
He loved watching sports. His favorite teams were the Pittsburgh Steelers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State, and any teams his children and grandchildren played on – whether it was football, lacrosse, basketball, soccer, tee-ball, dance or gymnastics. He kept his mind sharp by playing games on his iPad and schooling his family in Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy.
Leo passionately supported Catholic Charities, the parishes of St. Francis Xavier of Gettysburg and St. Maryâs in Rockville, MD. He was the CYO director at St. Maryâs for nearly twenty years, and he volunteered well into his eighties. He was a devout Catholic and served as Eucharistic Minister.
He enlisted in the US Air Force after graduating high school in 1952 during the Korean War. Afterwards, he enjoyed a 42 year career at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD.
A Memorial Mass will be held 11:00 AM, Monday, December 4, 2023 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 25 West High St., Gettysburg, PA with Fr. Aaron Lynch Celebrant. Burial with full military honors will be in the St. Francis Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until the time of Mass Monday at the church. Monahan Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements and online condolences may be made at monahanfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, family requests donations to be made in his memory to Catholic Charities, St. Francis Xavier or American Heart Association.
âIn life, itâs not where you go, but who you travel with.â Charles Schultz
This obituary was originally published here.