Obituary of Jane Leboda

Jane “Skippy” (Ahearn) Leboda, passed away at the Winchester Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, May 27, 2014. The beloved and devoted wife of the late Henry “Hank” Leboda, she was 83 years old. Skippy was born and raised in Lexington. She was one of 12 children born to the late James and Ellen Ahearn. Skip attended an all girl Catholic High School Mary Cliff in Winchester. After high school she went to TWA and completed a course to be a flight attendant but instead she met her husband Hank shortly after he released from active duty during the Korean War. They were married on November 5, 1955 and they settled in Burlington in 1963 where they would raise their three children. Skippy loved to write poetry and music. She wrote jingles for commercials and one of her jingles was actually recorded. Hank and Skippy loved to travel and made several trips to Ireland to visit family. While her children were growing up the family would vacation together in Booth Bay Maine and after Hank’s retirement they would spend even more time in Maine. She loved going to Maine and they had many beautiful times there as a family. Skippy cared very much about veterans and the homeless. She was always baking, making candy baskets and buying socks for veterans and for the homeless shelter in Lawrence. Skippy was an advocate for education and most especially higher education. Skippy was a devout Catholic and a parishioner at St. Malachy’s Church for over 30 years. Through St. Malachy’s she visited patients at the Lahey Clinic and Winchester Hospital to give them communion. She was involved in every activity or fundraiser that was held for the church. Skippy considered her fellow parishioners her family and they were there for her throughout her life and during her recent illness. Skippy will be remembered as a woman who had a way of making people feel special and the unique way in which she would bring a smile to your face with her quick wit and sense of humor. Skippy was the beloved wife of the late Henry P. “Hank”. She was the loving mother of Jane Anne Leboda of Dallas TX, Paul Leboda & his wife Sarah Velasquez of Dallas, TX, and the late Lawrence Leboda. Grandmother of Claire Velasquez of Dallas, TX. Sister of the late Frances “Frankie” Smith, Sr. Josephine Ahearn, Margaret O’Hearne, Arthur, James, William, Mary, Theresa, Catherine “Kae”, Elizabeth “Bettie” & Ellen Ahearn. Aunt of Brenda Willis & her husband Steve of Derry, NH and Brian O’Hearne & his wife Ramona of Wareham, John Smith, James, Daniel, Mary Ellen, Deidre, William & Jane Ahearn. Great Aunt of Ryan Willis & his wife Jennifer and Ashlee Willis & her boyfriend John Brabant. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Monday, June 2 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Malachy Church at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Sunday 4-6 p.m. Interment in Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. Memorial’s in Skippy’s name may be made to St. Malachy Memorial Fund, 99 Bedford St., Burlington MA 01803 or NH PTA Legacy Fund, 24 Maxwell Drive, Derry, NH 03038