Leon Edmund Dery

Leon Dery of Avon, CT, passed away peacefully on November 24, 2025, surrounded by his family.
Leon was born March 9, 1956 in Torrington, CT; the son of the late Edmund and Eleanor Dery. He grew up in New Hartford, CT, where he attended St. Mary's School and graduated in 1974 from Northwestern Regional #7 High School, Winsted.
Leon had a great, positive attitude and truly lived life to the fullest. He loved cruising and seeing the world with his "honeybun", who loved him with all of her heart. He loved spending time with his family!! Leon was a very talented craftsman who worked a significant amount of his career at The Hitchcock Chair Co. He could design, build, or fix just about anything. Leon was a loving husband, father, "Pepe" and friend to all who knew him. He was greatly loved by his daughters and grandchildren, who he loved teasing and making laugh. He enjoyed time spent outdoors boating, fishing, hunting, visiting local craft breweries and attending horse racing. After retirement, Leon loved to work caring for a large property in Barkhamsted where he got to "play" with excavators, tractors, and other fun equipment.
Leon is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 27 years, Laurie (Marinan) Dery; cherished daughters, Emilee DiMenna and her husband, Dan of Simsbury, Shawna Godenzi and her husband, Don Deschenes of Barkhamsted, and Jessica Kayser of Barkhamsted; sisters, Melina Marshall and her husband James of Conway, SC and Marian Cronin and her husband Sean of Rock Hill, SC; grandchildren, Adrianna, Zoey, and Jacob; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Sandy and Kevin Marinan of Canton; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Chris and Wendy Marinan of Sanibel, FL and Stephen and Jen Marinan of Avon; and many nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle LeeLee. He was preceded in death by his brother, David Dery.
A celebration of Leon's life will be held on Monday, December 1, 2025 at Brewery Legitimus, New Hartford from 12 - 3 p.m. Graveside services will be on Monday, December 1, 2025 at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in New Hartford at 11:15 a.m. Montano-Shea Funeral Home, 5 Steele Road, New Hartford has care of the arrangements. Visit an online guestbook at montano-shea.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your local food bank.