John P. Leonard

John Leonard, a long time resident of the Bay Area, died on May 14, 2016.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Krauter-Leonard and their son Benjamin Leonard. Extended family in Northern California include his sister, Cathy Thorne and brother-in-law, Dale Thorne, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He will be remembered as a kind man why always encouraged the best in people; he made a true difference in the lives of those he loved. He was a wonderful husband and father, and was especially proud of Ben, who will be graduating from UCLA this June.

John was extremely intelligent, creative, and resourceful. While in the army he became a Chinese Linguist in Taiwan. He was a master fly fisherman and was involved in Casting for Recovery, fly fishing retreats for women survivors of breast cancer. He also coached baseball for his son’s league. He was an amazing cook and especially enjoyed making Greek food, the cuisine of his heritage.

John’s creative passion was jewelry making. He had his own business: John Leonard Studio. For John what was most meaningful was creating individualized pieces that reflected the heart and intent of the owner or gift giver. John would often talk to his customers at length about the unique design to ensure the jewelry communicated their depth of feeling or the significance of the occasion.

John will be missed by his family and many friends. He was a caring soul who brought much joy and light into the world.

In lieu of flowers, please send financial contributions to: nttps://castingforrecover.org/