Obituary of Margaret E. (Sweeney) Leonard

Margaret E. (Sweeney) Leonard 93 years, of Saugus, wife of the late Leo F. Leonard, died Monday at the Epoch Senior Care Center in Melrose. Mrs. Leonard was born on May 27, 1913 in New Bedford daughter of the late John J. and Mary J. (Gillis) Sweeney. She was raised in Lynn and graduated from Lynn Classical High School class of 1931. She then attended Burdett Secretarial School in Lynn receiving her Associates Degree in 1933. In 1943, she moved to Peabody where she resided until 1980. She then returned to Lynn before moving to Saugus in 1982. Mrs. Leonard was employed as an office manager at Congress Shirt in Boston for many years and then she helped manage her husband’s landscaping business well known as Leo F. Leonard Landscaping in Peabody until their retirement in 1978. Her life was devoted to her family. She was a former parishioner of St. Ann’s Church in Peabody and a member of its Ladies Sodality. She and her husband enjoyed ballroom dancing in Revere; going to the movies and will be well remembered for her many hand knitted quilts and sweaters. She also belonged to the Southern Belle’s Bowling Team at Metro Bowl in Peabody and to the Pokeno Group. She is survived by 2 sons and a daughter-in-law, Leo T. “Terry” and “Sue” Leonard of Bondville VT, John J. Leonard of Peabody; a sister, Helen I. Smith of Tucson AZ; 3 grandchildren, Caitlin and Ellison Leonard both of Peabody and Marc Leonard of Bondville VT and many nieces and nephews. Her brother James J. Sweeney predeceased her. Her funeral will be held Friday at 9 a.m. from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 20 Church St. location, Peabody followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Ann’s Church, 140 Lynn St., Peabody. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visiting hours Thursday 5 to 8 p.m. Burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Lynn. Memorial Contributions may be made in her memory to St. Ann’s Parish, 136 Lynn St., Peabody MA 01960.