Father John D. Leonard

Father John D. Leonard of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church went to sleep in the Lord on Tuesday April 28, 2015. Born June 16, 1931 to Michael and Mary Leonard in Grand Rapids who preceded him in death. He is also preceded in death by his brothers Thomas and Robert, sister Kathleen Farhat and sister in law Ann Leonard. He is survived by his wife Barbara (Freybler) and the following siblings; Ann Molenda, Margaret (Robert) Karczewski, Edward (Nancy), sister in law Patricia Leonard, brother in law William Farhat, as well as, many nephews and nieces and their children and brother-in-law Louis P. (Kathleen) Freybler. A graduate of Catholic Central High School and the University of Notre Dame (Magna Cum Laude) he was drafted into the Army in 1953. On April 2, 1954 he and Barbara were married at Ft. Belvoir, VA, followed by an assignment of 1 1/2 years in the Panama Canal Zone. Upon discharge from the Army in 1955 he entered the U.S. Foreign Service (Diplomatic Corps.) and together with Barbara served in Washington DC (1955-58); Accra, Ghana (1958-60); Bamako, Mali (1960-62); Washington D.C. (62-63) and Tel Aviv, Israel (1963-68). In 1968 he resigned from the Foreign Service in order to pursue studies at St. Vladimir's Seminary N. Y. (1968-73) in Eastern Orthodox Theology, a subject that had attracted him since his youth. Graduating in 1973 with Bachelor and Masters degrees he began looking for a teaching position when, unexpectedly he received an invitation from the Abbess of the Melkite Greek Catholic Monastery of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel to accept ordination to the Priesthood and become Chaplain to the Nuns. Ordained Priest November 18, 1973 in Beirut, Lebanon by Patriarch Maximos V, he and Barbara spent the next 23 years in Nazareth. Following his retirement in 1997, they returned to Grand Rapids where he was graciously invited to assist the Pastor of St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church. He and Barbara have resided at St. Ann’s Home for the last two years. The family is grateful for the loving care he has received there. He was an ardent proponent of Reconciliation of the Churches of East and West and of Peace in the Middle East. May He be in the Peace and Joy of the Lord. The family will accept visitors Friday from 3 to 5 PM at the Arsulowicz Brothers Mortuary, 585 Stocking Ave NW where a prayer service will be held at 4 PM. The Divine Liturgy will be held Saturday 10:30 AM at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church 154 Gold Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Interment Mt. Calvary Cemetery. There will be a memorial service celebrated for Fr. John announced at a later date.

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Father John D. Leonard

June 16, 1931 - April 28, 2015