VOORHEESVILLE — James Leonard Jr. was a “good man, a family man, who worked hard all his life,” said his wife, Theresa Femia-Leonard.

James Henry Leonard Jr. died on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, at Good Samaritan Hospice in Delmar. He was 79.

Mr. Leonard was born in Albany on June 3, 1938, to James Leonard and Catherine (née Lenda) Leonard. He was one of five children.

His father owned Leonard’s Grill on Broadway, in Albany; his mother was a homemaker.

After graduating from Cathedral Academy, Mr. Leonard attended Hudson Valley Community College. He went to work for New York State as a civil engineer for a short time. “He didn’t like being at a desk; he had to be working,” his wife said.

He then owned his own trucking company; Mr. Leonard would pick up his future wife to ride along as he plowed the streets of Albany.

He then spent the next 32 years — retiring at 62 — as a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 106, working as a crane operator.

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard had been in school together, Mrs. Leonard said. But it was a friend of Mr. Leonard who set them up when she was 21 and he was was 24.

They were married on June 4, 1967, celebrating their 50th anniversary just last year. They had one daughter, Kelly.

Mr. Leonard loved to work, his wife said. He built the home they shared for the entirety of their time together, and in retirement he continued to work on building projects.

When he would get away from work, Mr. Leonard loved to travel, his wife said. Mrs. Leonard made sure that at least once a year for their 50 years together, they took a vacation. They traveled to Italy, London, and Ireland, among other places.

Mr. Leonard also enjoyed working on old cars, restoring a Model A Ford, the second car ever mass-produced by Ford Motors.

In retirement, when he wasn’t working, his wife said, Mr. Leonard liked to travel down to the Bronx and attend Yankee games. More recently, he had been attending Siena College basketball games.

His family wrote in a tribute that he lived life to the fullest.

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James Henry Leonard Jr. is survived by his wife, Theresa Femia-Leonard; by his daughter, Kelly M. Leonard; and by three of his siblings: Elizabeth Schreiner and her husband, William, Donald Leonard and his wife, Janice, and Gerald Leonard.

His parents James Leonard and Catherine Lenda died before him, as did his brother, Edward Leonard; and his parents-in-law, Joseph Femia and Josephine Stazio Femia; and his brother-in-law Angelo Femia.

He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Pamela Leonard, brother-in-law of Donald Femia, and his wife, Linda-Femia-Rahm, and sister-in-law Kim Saville-Femia; by his nieces and nephews: Michael Rahm, Patrick Rahm, Brianna Femia, Donald Leonard Jr. and his wife, Amy, Maria Leonard, Michael Schreiner and his wife, Nancy, Katherine Roy, Matthew Schreiner and his wife, Tracy, and William Schreiner and his wife, Davina; by his friend and cousin Nancy Cordi; and his grandnephews: Mason and Braedyn Rahm. He is also survived by other special family and friends.

The family extends a heartfelt thank-you to the Community Hospice staff, nurses, and staff at Good Samaritan, and the oncology team at St. Peter’s Hospital including Dr. Wresinski and Dr. Luyun, as well as hospitalist, Dr. Menakuro for their compassionate care.

A funeral service was held Friday, Feb. 16, at St. Matthew’s Church in Voorheesville. With burial at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands.

Messages for the family may be left at McveighFuneralHome.com

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Post Office Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142, or to the Partners in Education Scholarship Program at the Academy of the Holy Names, 1075 New Scotland Rd., Albany, NY 12208.                                                                                                                  

— Sean Mulkerrin