John W. Leonard
January 23, 1921 - November 11, 2002

John Leonard FARGO, Alaska -John W. Leonard, 81, Fargo, formerly of West Liberty, died Monday, Nov. 11, 2002, in Villa Maria, Fargo. Graveside services are 10:30 a.m. Monday at Oak Ridge Cemetery, West Liberty. The Barker Funeral Home, West Liberty, is handling the arrangements. Mr. Leonard was born Jan. 23, 1921, in Omaha, Neb., the son of Benjamin F. and Mary Pendergast Leonard. He married Marilyn Amelia Ditmars May 4, 1944, in West Liberty. She preceded him in death in 1956. During his youth, he spent summers in Rose, Neb., Basseitt, Neb. and Sutton, Neb. on the Calamus and Niobrara rivers. He grew up in Omaha, graduating from Holy Angels Grade School and attending Creighton High School. He graduated from Omaha Technical High School in 1937. He then attended St. Ambrose University, Davenport. In 1939, he entered the U.S. Navy as a seaman recruit. He served in World War II, the Korean conflict and the Vietnam War. He served in the military for 25 continuous years, achieving the rank of commander. He served in all theaters and was decorated several times. He attended war college, the University of Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and Williams and Mary University during peace times and between wars and police actions. He later attended graduate school at the University of Iowa, studying physics, math and general science. He became a teacher and administrator and was hired by the Alaska school system in 1967. In 1968, he became a teacher/director and later superintendent of schools in Nome, Alaska. He was educational supervisor for Kawerak Eskimo Native Corporation and continued his graduate schooling at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. In 1993, he retired for the third timed and moved to Kasilof, Alaska. He moved to Villa Maria in Fargo in 1996. Survivors include his children, John Leonard and wife Dorothy of Palmer, Alaska, Marilyn Cota of West Branch, Mark Leonard of Nome, Thomas Leonard and wife Brenda of West Branch and Susan Grove of Fargo; 10 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; three brothers; and a sister.

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