Obituary of Leon J Belanger

Leon J Belanger, 87, of Peabody died Monday morning surrounded by his family following a brief illness. He was the devoted husband of Cecile (LaPorte) Belanger with whom he shared over 68 years of marriage. Born in Peabody, he was the son of the late Wilfred and Anna (Chaves) Belanger. Following his high school graduation from the House of Angel Guardian, Leon enlisted with the United States Army and served during World War II. He was honorably discharged in April of 1947. Upon his discharge from the Army, Leon started his career working in the leather industry. He then embarked on a 31 year career at MIT Lincoln Laboratories and retired many years ago as an engineering assistant. Leon was very active in the communities he lived and worked. An avid HAM radio operator using the call sign K1LFE, he also participated with the Salem Civil Defense. A member of the Holy Name Society at St. Williams Church in Tewksbury. Leon chaired the Tewksbury Municipal Building Committee responsible for the construction of the North Street Fire Station. He enjoyed spending family time at his cottage on Balch Lake in Wakefield, NH that he meticulously built with his own hands. A member of the Balch Lake Association, and an avid reader. Leon’s hobbies included oil painting, genealogy and was an avid mountain climber during both the summer and winters months. Ice climbing at Tuckerman’s Ravine was no longer on his bucket list. Besides his loving wife, he is survived by his five children, Dorothy and her husband Gregory Hughes of Rochester, NH, Richard and his wife Patricia Belanger of Peabody, Kathleen and her husband Searle Hay of Methuen, John Belanger of Danvers, and Mark and his wife Amy Belanger of Peabody, his siblings, Theresa LeBel of Rowley, Robert Belanger of Peabody and Sylvia Ywuc of Salem, and is also survived by his ten grandchildren, Cynthia Bickford, Shawn Cunningham, Kimberly Karner, Julee Holland, Jeffrey Belanger, Matthew Hay, Cherilyn Hays, Jason Budde, Mark Helwig, and Corissa Belanger, and by her three great grandchildren, Dylan, Kyle, and Tyler and by several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Elizabeth Meador. His funeral will be held on Saturday at 9:00 AM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by his Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Peabody to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Salem. Expressions of sympathy can be made in his name to Chromosome 18 Registry & Research Society, 7155 Oakridge Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229.