Obituary of James N Leonard

James N. Leonard, 79, of Tewksbury, passed away on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at the Lahey Medical Center in Burlington.

James was born in Woburn the son of the late John F. and Theresa (Tierno) Leonard. He was educated in the Medford school system and graduated from the Medford Vocational Technical High School. He was employed for many years as a maintenance mechanic.

James met the love of his life, Grace Knowland, while the two were in middle school. Though they started out as just friends, James and Grace both knew they had deeper feelings for each other. James and Grace were married in May of 1966 and children quickly followed.

James was a very proud man and took pride in his ability to supply for his family. He was a hard worker and when he was not at work, family was always his focus. If he wasn’t vacationing with them at Ogunquit beach or convincing them to visit a myriad of train museums, he could be found in his sanctuary, his detached three stall garage. A ‘Mr. Fix it’, the garage was filled with tools and unfinished projects, and a common saying amongst his family was “If Papa can’t fix it, we’re screwed”. He was able to repair anything, from a toaster to a car engine, his handiness knew no bounds.

James spent his time outside his garage watching NASCAR and spending every moment he could with his loving wife and family. His grandchildren were great sources of his happiness and he cherished every moment he was able to spend with them.

James is survived by his loving wife, Grace Leonard of Tewksbury, his daughters, Meredith Leonard of Tewksbury and Theresa Sheppard and her husband Bill of Jacksonville, NC, two grandchildren, Cole J. Sheppard and Ivy Sheppard as well as many nieces, nephews and several friends.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his visiting hours on Tuesday, July 2^nd from 11:15am to 12:15pm at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St. Burlington. His funeral service will follow the visiting hours at 12:15pm, burial will follow in Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn. Due to allergies, please omit flowers and consider donating to thetreesremember.com or a charity of one’s choice. The family has asked that you wear blue, James’ favorite color, in celebration of his life.  To leave a condolence to his family please visit www.sullivanfuneralhome.net