Obituary for Leon R. Smith
Leon R. Smith, age 81 of Montague, passed away on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 at the Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, NY.
Born in Denville to the late Julius and Mary (DeGraw) Smith, Leon had lived in Sparta for over forty years before settling in Montague in 2006. It did not take long for Leon to make himself the unofficial “Mayor of Montague.” He had a knack for making friends quickly and was known for always being willing to help anyone. He enjoyed woodworking, especially making birdhouses to give to his friends and neighbors, and was well known in Montague for his homemade jams. Leon also loved gardening and was eager to get out of the hospital so he could ride his tractor again.
A US Marine Corp veteran, Leon had worked for many years as an operating engineer with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 68 out of Caldwell, NJ.
Predeceased by his parents; and brothers Julius, Rudolph, Randolph, Hubert, Alex, and Philip, Leon is survived by his brothers, Wilbert and Paul Smith; sister, Mary Tintle; beloved sister and caregiver, Pauline Kramer; and other family members; as well as the many, many friends who became like family.
A memorial visitation for Leon will be held on Saturday, October 8th, 2022; 12 noon to 3PM at the Ferguson Funeral Home, 27 Third Street, Sussex, NJ 07461. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org/) or St. Jude Children’s Hospital(www.stjude.org) would be appreciated.
Born in Denville to the late Julius and Mary (DeGraw) Smith, Leon had lived in Sparta for over forty years before settling in Montague in 2006. It did not take long for Leon to make himself the unofficial “Mayor of Montague.” He had a knack for making friends quickly and was known for always being willing to help anyone. He enjoyed woodworking, especially making birdhouses to give to his friends and neighbors, and was well known in Montague for his homemade jams. Leon also loved gardening and was eager to get out of the hospital so he could ride his tractor again.
A US Marine Corp veteran, Leon had worked for many years as an operating engineer with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 68 out of Caldwell, NJ.
Predeceased by his parents; and brothers Julius, Rudolph, Randolph, Hubert, Alex, and Philip, Leon is survived by his brothers, Wilbert and Paul Smith; sister, Mary Tintle; beloved sister and caregiver, Pauline Kramer; and other family members; as well as the many, many friends who became like family.
A memorial visitation for Leon will be held on Saturday, October 8th, 2022; 12 noon to 3PM at the Ferguson Funeral Home, 27 Third Street, Sussex, NJ 07461. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org/) or St. Jude Children’s Hospital(www.stjude.org) would be appreciated.