Robert J. Leddy

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Robert Leddy Obituary

LEDDY, ROBERT J.
sportswriter, track official and film historian, passed away peacefully on Saturday in his home in Providence, RI. Born in Pawtucket in 1945, he lived in Providence and California before joining the Marines in 1964. He began his career at the Providence Journal part time as a wire room and copy editor assistant. He then pursued a journalism degree at URI and started working full time at the ProJo as sportswriter. His beat was high school sports. For the next 17 years he dedicated his life to covering these often overlooked athletes. His specialty during this time was Track & Field, and his encyclopedic knowledge and passion for this sport came through in his writing. As longtime friend Jim Doyle said, "his love of Track & Field was a blessing for the track and field athletes in Rhode Island. All of a sudden we went from having little or no coverage in the pages of the Journal to having someone who finally respected and recognized the dedicated Track & Field athletes he was covering." After retiring from the Journal in 2001 he worked as a correspondent for the RI Track and Field Foundation. For his contributions to the sport he was inducted into the RI Interscholastic League Hall of Fame in 2016. In the last decade he took on a second career as a film historian. Always a movie buff, he regularly graced the ProJo's editorial pages with columns on actors and directors who interested him. He particularly enjoyed the films of Stanley Kubrick, Akira Kurosawa, David Lynch, Jane Campion, Ingmar Bergman, and Spike Lee. His personal collection of films exceeded 1300. Throughout his life his kindness and wry, self –deprecating sense of humor endeared him to all who met him. He be will greatly missed as a unique and intellectually curious man. He is survived by his 3 sons – Cyrus, Paul, and Christian, his daughter-in-law Shannon, and his ex-wife Judy Ellinwood. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday February 11, 2017 at 11:00am in The Butterfield Chapel 500 Pontiac Avenue Cranston. Visitation will be held one hour to the service beginning at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his honor to the RI Track and Field Foundation 420 Stony Ln, N Kingstown, RI 02852

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Published by The Providence Journal from Feb. 9 to Feb. 10, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Leddy

Sponsored by Butterfield Home and Chapel Funeral and Cremation Services.

6 Entries

Manny Correira

March 15, 2018

Bob introduced me to the world of daily news reporting when he convinced me to become a sportswriter and photographer for the newly designed East Bay section of the Providence Journal in 1985. For the next 23 years Bob and I shared many stories and ideas while forming a friendship that would last forever. His death took me by surprise. I was stunned, to say the least. I'll always remember his friendly smile and off-the-cuff jokes. Quite frankly, he was one-of-a-kind and a man whom I'll always cherish and remember fondly. God rest his soul.

Elaine DeVoss

February 12, 2017

Bob was a friend to me and my late husband for more than 45 years. Starting as a young library assistant at the Providence Journal, Bob 's sense of humor always lifted me up at the most opportune times. So sorry to hear of his passing. I wondered why I did not receive his Christmas card.
He will be missed.

toby tacker

February 11, 2017

I have known Bob since high school and spent many fun hours with him. He was an awesome guy and always had a good heart for those around him. He had a love of sports and loved seeing him at events, especially track and field in high school and later in life at high school football games. My sadness and sympathy go out to his family--He will be missed.

Bobby McGarry

February 9, 2017

To Bob's Loving Family,
I was surpised and saddened to hear about Bob's passing. Having known him for close to 45 years, Bob became one my best friends. We laughed and joked a lot when we we're co-workers and when I was let go by the Journal the first time, Bob was one of the first to reach out to me to offer ways for me to cope with my situation.
Also, I hope the high schools appreciated his efforts in his writing, especially the track & field athletes. He had a wonderful understanding of the sport and no one, and I mean no one, was more dedicated to the sport and those kids than he was.
I will miss my buddy dearly, but my conversations about Bob with another of his friends, Bob Angell, wiil keep his memory alive.
My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
Fondly
Bobby McGarry.

Betsy Shea-Taylor

February 9, 2017

Robert Leddy was dedicated to family and his profession of writing about young people who enjoyed track and field and cross-country as much as he did. But he was also one of the kindest, nicest people one could ever hope to meet.

Dave Farley

February 9, 2017

Bob was a great guy and he absolutely loved RI high school track and field. He was always there for the athletes, reporting on their performances or just enjoying the track & field scene. He will be greatly missed. Semper Fi, Bob.

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