Thomas Leonard

THOMAS A. LEONARD
1936 - 2017
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - Thomas A. Leonard, 80, passed away peacefully after a long illness on May 9, 2017, at Halcyon Hospice, Sandy Springs, Ga. During his illness he received many loving visits from his family and friends.
He was born in 1936 in Springfield, Mass., the son of Harry and Marion (Damren) Leonard. He grew up in Augusta, was a Communicant at St. Mary's Catholic Church and was an altar boy. He graduated from Cony High School in 1954. While in high school, he played football and was Class President. Tom served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954 to 1958, stationed in Germany and Saudi Arabia. He graduated from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisc. in 1962 with a B.A. in Political Science, and obtained an M.A. in Public Administration in 1967 from Central Michigan University.
In 1962 Tom began his long and illustrious career with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as a Public Health Advisor, assigned to New York City and Connecticut. He served in the Smallpox Eradication Program from 1966 to 1970 in multiple countries in West Africa, most notably in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). He also worked in Asia in the Chittagong region of Bangladesh. In 1972 he moved to the Philadelphia Office of the U.S. Public Health Service, where he was the CDC Regional Representative to five states as well as Washington, D.C. He served as part of the investigative team during the 1976 outbreak of Legionnaire's Disease at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. He transferred to CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. in 1979 and worked in the Office of the Director and in the International Health Program office on numerous programs, including African famine relief, Ebola Virus, and HIV/AIDS. Tom was widely respected at WHO (World Health Organization), CDC, and State and local health departments.
After retirement in 1990, he spent many hours volunteering his time at Ronald McDonald House, DeKalb County Historical Society, a shelter for rescued cats, as well as sporting events. His interests included railroad history, baseball and soccer, politics, and his grandson Luca.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother John. He is survived by his three children, Paul (Portland, Ore.), Mark (Philadelphia, Pa.), daughter and son-in-law Susan and Julian Masini, and grandson Luca Masini, all of Alfriston, U.K.; and former spouse Mary Michael Leonard (Philadelphia, Pa). He is also survived by his sister-in-law Susan Hyde (Rockland), and numerous cousins.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, June 6 at 1:00 p.m. at American Legion Post #2, 274 Capitol Street, Augusta. To celebrate Tom's life, the family asks that you share your favorite stories about him at www.bchfh.com

In lieu of flowers, memorial
donations may be made to
Georgia Public Broadcasting
260 14th St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30318 or :
www.gpb.org/support