Jo Leonard 83, passed away at Foxdale Village in State College, PA on May 20. Josephine was born Aug. 22, 1930 in Baileyville, PA. She studied journalism at Penn State where she met and married Joseph Leonard III in 1952 resulting in a very loving marriage of 62 years. With their family they lived in Pottsville, PA, Canton, IL, Monroeville, PA, Morgantown, WV, Lexington, KY before finally retiring to State College, PA. Jo spent many years hosting the Society of Mining Engineer's Ladies Auxiliary (WAAIMES) at the annual Greenbrier Resort meeting, was active as a long-time member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and held offices in both of these organizations. She was also active in the YWCA, Sweet Adelines and WVU Campus Club. She was named a University of Kentucky Fellow in honor of her considerable volunteer work. Along with her husband, Joe, she visited 48 states and 26 foreign countries.
Jo enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and reading but most of all time spent with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A dedicated homemaker and loving mother and grandmother, Jo was the mother of four children. Beth and Dr. Carney Jackson of Richmond, KY, Joseph IV (deceased) and Barbara Leonard of Charleston, SC, Virginia and Peter Vining of Landenberg, PA and Dr. Stephen and Kelly Leonard of Morgantown, WV. Along with her 4 children she also was grandmother to seven; Mark and Luke Jackson, Mary Jo Fairchild and Joseph Leonard V, Peter, Erin and Laura Vining as well as great-grandmother of four; Joseph VI, Brady and Eleanor Leonard and Josie Fairchild.
A memorial mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a. m. Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 820 Westerly Parkway, State College, PA. Burial will be private at the convenience of the family.
Those wishing to remember Jo may do so by contributing to the Loyalty Permanent Endowment Fund, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505 in the name of the Joseph W. Leonard IV Scholarship Fund.