GLORIA GEORGE LEONARD

LEONARD
GLORIA GEORGE (FLATEAU)
Gloria George (Flateau) Leonard aka "Pinky", 80, First class of Pittsburgh Women police officers Gloria George (Flateau) Leonard aka "Pinky", 80, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2017. She was the beloved wife of the late Frank S. Leonard; beloved daughter of the late Michael and Sylvia George; beloved sister of Ethelyn Ankrom, Marjorie O'Brien, the late Joanna Landy, Patricia Wissler, and Janet George; beloved mother of Sonya (Jack) Buckman, Lynn Langford, Davin (Joori) Flateau and Sydney Frederick; also survived by her 12 grandchildren who were the center and joy of her life and a multitude of nephews and nieces. Gloria was born in Pittsburgh, attended Schenley High School and graduated with her RN Certification from West Penn Nursing School in 1958. She moved to Los Angeles, where for 16 years she worked at various hospitals around the San Fernando Valley specializing in CCU/ICU nursing. Gloria returned to Pittsburgh in 1974 with her four children where she continued her career in nursing. In 1976, the City of Pittsburgh offered the first opportunity for women to apply for positions on their police force. As a single mother, the benefits and scheduling was attractive so she applied. As with most of her endeavors, she excelled. She earned one of the highest scores on the civil service exam and apparently was an outstanding marksman as well. Gloria and the other 11 women in that first class were pioneers. Their ground breaking positions taught many reluctant residents and fellow police officers that the women could serve in an equal capacity as their male counterparts and they brought a new perspective to community policing. Upon the completion of her training with the police academy in 1976, she was assigned to the traffic department with a motorcycle as her mode of transportation. She also served as the primary weekend breathalyzer examiner for Allegheny County on the weekends from 1979-1981. Gloria's nursing background was a literally a life saver on the job. She was able to save the lives of some very lucky people with her medical knowledge as she served the public. She was injured on the job in 1982 and left on disability. She enrolled at Point Park (College) University to earn credits for her BS specializing in Occupational Health after leaving the police force. It was her lifelong dream to actually graduate from college and hold a degree. She decided to spend her "retirement" years in Ohio, living in Ashtabula, Madison and Youngstown. She rediscovered her lifelong love of ballroom dancing and nurtured her artistic talents which earned her accolades as an award-winning watercolorist. Changes in her health brought her back to Pittsburgh to be closer to her family that she missed very much. Her life long love of gardening, cooking and appreciation of jazz and classical music lives on through her children. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, January 20th at 11:00 a.m. at the Berean Fellowship Church, 300 Rockfield Circle, Pittsburgh, 15243. For more information, please contact scbuckman@verizon.net. Gloria sponsored a child from Sierra Leone for years through the Childfund organization. She developed a deep and loving relationship not only for this child but his family. Donations can be sent in Gloria Leonard's name to www.childfund.org