Leo J. Gillis

Leo J. Gillis passed away at the age of 88 on May 2 in Farmington, CT, after a long and courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Leo was born in Sugar Notch, PA, and grew up in Waterbury, CT. A 1952 graduate of Crosby High School, he was a two-sport letterman-he was a standout pitcher for the Old Ivy baseball team, and he helped Crosby basketball to the state tournament semifinals in 1951 along with lifelong best friends, Jimmy "Hooks" Holian and William "Fitzy" Fitzmaurice.

A United States Marine Corps veteran, Leo graduated from Washington College in Chestertown, MD, and he earned a master's in education from Central Connecticut State University and, after a sixth year of studies, a certificate in guidance counseling from the University of Bridgeport. Leo worked for thirty-plus years as an educator and a guidance counselor in the Waterbury Public Schools System.

Nothing was more important to Leo than his family. He is survived by beloved wife of fifty-eight years, Cynthia (Marcinkus); sons Gary and Michael; daughter Leanne Grasso; son-in-law Raymond Grasso; daughter-in-law Danielle (Donnelly); and grandchildren Christina, Michael, Anna, and Stephanie. We will miss his warm smile every day and watching him root for his favorite teams: the UConn Huskies and the St. Louis Cardinals.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, May 8, 2023 at 11:00am in the Church of St. Patrick, 110 Main St., Farmington followed by burial in Riverside Cemetery, Farmington. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org. Arrangements are being handled by The Ahern Funeral Homes, Inc., www.ahernfuneralhome.com.