Nancy Leinweber

Nancy Boyd Ward Leinweber, of Mentor, Ohio, passed away at home on August 20, 2025.

Nancy was born August 22, 1939, in Coshocton, Ohio, to Marjorie Boyd Ward and Martin Francis Ward, both deceased. She graduated from Worthington High School, where she enjoyed participating in field hockey and dance. Her love of travel began early, when she spent two and a half months exploring Europe with the Girl Scouts of America.

After high school, she attended the Springfield City Hospital School of Nursing and went on to become a Registered Nurse. Her career included time at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, OH; Rocky Mountain Osteopathic Hospital in Denver, CO; and Richmond Heights General Hospital in Richmond Heights, OH, where she served as the ICU Charge Nurse. She later stepped away from the medical field to devote herself to her family.

Nancy had a deep love of history and genealogy, spending countless hours researching her family's roots. Her passion took her as far as County Donegal, Ireland, where she visited family members in pursuit of her heritage. She volunteered for over 22 years at the Western Reserve Historical Society Library and was a longtime member and former president of the Genealogical Committee. She authored numerous genealogy articles and compiled a 600+ page family history book, Boyd Hunting in America.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 61 years, Edwin Louis Leinweber; her daughter Jennifer Leinweber (Steven) Ritz; son Craig (Justine) Leinweber; granddaughter Peyton Leinweber; grandson Logan Leinweber; step-grandchildren Rhett Ritz and Kyle (Janelle) Ritz; brother Stephen (Sandy) Ward; sister Susan Osborn; brother-in-law Gary Leinweber and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter Karen Leinweber, her parents Marjorie Boyd Ward and Martin Francis Ward, and sisters- and brothers-in-law Eric Osborn, Janet Kehr, Donald Kehr, Rosemary Leinweber, Barbara Van Horn and Audrey McClemens.

A brief graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 11am at Mentor Municipal Cemetery, followed by burial. In honor of her lifelong passion, those wishing to make a contribution may donate to the Western Reserve Historical Society Library at https://www.wrhs.org/join-give/give/give-online.