LeRoy Joseph Spaniol

1938 - 2020

It is with great sadness that the family of LeRoy Joseph Spaniol of West Hartford announces his death on Tuesday, May 19 due to COVID-19. Born in Milwaukee, WI in 1938, LeRoy was a remarkable, yet humble man who enriched the lives of all who knew him. He graced the world with gentle, loving kindness through both his personal and professional lives because he had faith in people even when they lacked faith in themselves. LeRoy grew up in a family of 10 children and spent seven years in the Maryknoll Seminary in Maryknoll, New York. After leaving the seminary, LeRoy obtained a doctoral degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and had over 40 years of experience in the mental health field as counselor, advocate, program developer, administrator, and educator. Throughout decades, he improved the lives of countless people with severe mental illness by helping them gain a sense of meaning and purpose. He also worked closely and empathically with family members to heal wounds and strengthen bonds. A professor at Boston University for 31 years, LeRoy was a co-founder and Senior Director at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation since 1974. He was the founder and Executive Publisher of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal for 23 years. One of his proudest accomplishments was founding and teaching in the Recovery Center, a rehabilitation program for people with psychiatric disabilities at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. When he retired in 2004, the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association established the LeRoy Spaniol Award for those making significant contributions as new leaders in the field. After retiring, LeRoy lived in Wellfleet, MA for eight years, serving as President of NAMI of Cape Cod. A prolific writer, he published 18 books and many book chapters and articles about psychiatric rehabilitation, recovery, and families of people with mental illness. Despite his many achievements, LeRoy will be missed most for his gentle wisdom, loving kindness, and selfless grace. We will also miss his subtle sense of humor, corny jokes, and knowing smile. He will be lovingly remembered by his family: his wife, Susan Spaniol; his daughters, Rachel Wilson and Melissa Wilson; his grandchildren, Erin O'Connor and Ryan O'Connor; his son-in-law Sean O'Connor, Rachel's partner, Chris Bracken; and his six surviving sisters; Janice and Elvira Schraufnagel; Ruth Ann McCallum, Audrey Mikilousky, Beverly Pouquette, and Arlene Groff. He will be especially missed by his schnoodle, Albert. We are celebrating LeRoy's life with an on-line virtual memorial until the COVID crises passes, when we will celebrate in person with a mass and memorial service. Memorial donations to the Recovery Center may be made online at cpr.bu.edu. (Click 'MENU.' Scroll to bottom to locate 'DONATE' button.)