John Francis Leonard
Municipal judge in Dunellen and South Bound Brook, also served with NY State Courts, devout Catholic and Legion chaplain, 72
John Francis Leonard, 72, passed into eternal life on Feb. 19, 2020 after a long illness.
He was born on April 25, 1947 in Brooklyn, N.Y., to John and Natalie (Rodelberger) Leonard, and grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn and Alexandria, Va. He married Eileen Frances McGill of the Glendale section of Queens, N.Y. in 1971.
He graduated from St. John's University in Queens in 1973 and worked in the New York State courts as a court officer and court clerk, working in courthouses in Kew Gardens and Jamaica, Queens. He was accepted as a night student in St. John's University's School of Law in 1976 and earned a Juris Doctorate in 1980 while working full time during the day. He passed the New York Bar Exam in 1981 and spent the remainder of his career as a legal secretary in the New York State court system in Queens and Staten Island.
Starting in 1967, he joined the New York City Auxiliary Police, rising to the rank of precinct captain and serving intermittently until 1990.
In 1988, he moved with his family to Dunellen, N.J. and passed the New Jersey Bar Exam in 1991. He served as the municipal court judge in Dunellen and South Bound Brook. He was an active member of the American Legion in Dunellen and served as a chaplain and judge advocate. In 2014, he and his wife moved back to Queens, N.Y. John was also a member of the Knights of Columbus in both Dunellen and Glendale.
A devout Roman Catholic, he was a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Glendale. He was an avid reader of history, a motorcycle enthusiast, and model railroader and instilled a love of animals and pets in his children. He loved to recount stories from the old days on the streets of Brooklyn and the colorful characters that made up his childhood.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Eileen; daughters, Patricia and Barbara Bachmann (Thomas), and son John (Adriana). He is also survived by his brother, Brian, sister-in-law, Susan; nieces, Gayle and Karen, and nephew Brian; grandnieces, Anna and Gracie, and countless friends whom he treasured.
Visitation will be at Werst & LaBella Funeral Home, 71-41 Cooper Ave., Glendale, N.Y., on Sunday, Feb. 23, from 4 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2020 at Sacred Heart Church in Glendale, N.Y., with interment at Cypress Hills Cemetery, Queens.