Joan’s Obituary Joan Leonard, age 98, of Telford Lutheran Community, passed away peacefully with children at her side on Friday, January 18, 2019. She was a treasured resident for 6 years and formerly of Rahway, New Jersey. Born February 26, 1920, she was the daughter of the late Joel Bailey Eggleston and Eleanor (Holliday) Eggleston.
Joan was married to Charles Bernard Leonard at the “Little Church around the Corner” in NYC in 1946 and was happily married for 38 years. Joan was employed pre-children in the office of Lederle Labs, Nyack, NY and American Viscose, in the Empire State Building, NYC. After raising her 8 children she was employed at the Children’s Hospital, Mountainside, NJ and occasionally Koos Brothers, Rahway, NJ.
Joan was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and neighbor. Her priority in life was to take care of her family and friends. She was very caring and always giving to others.
She was very involved with her children’s school, assisting as class mother, helping with clothing drives and other means of fund raising as well as being the President of the PTA. She could be called on by family or friends to drive them anywhere and was known as the family “cabbie”. She was a devoted member of Trinity United Methodist Church for over 60 years and was very involved with teaching Sunday School, Summer Vacation Bible School, a Lay Leader, and served on numerous church committees.
She was involved in helping the church maintain its property from seizure in 2006 through eminent domain. Joan was a volunteer at Rahway Hospital for many years and an honorary member of the NAACP. She helped prepare and serve weekly meals for the Rotary Club.
Joan enjoyed baking and spent many hours baking special treats for her children, neighbors and church family. Joan loved to knit and made many beautiful items through the years. She was an avid walker and enjoyed bicycle riding.
Her favorite sport was bowling and through the years she was on many bowling leagues and bowled on two leagues until age 90. She was also a hot air balloon enthusiast and had her first hot air balloon ride at age 70. Joan, Jo, Mom, Momma, Mommy, Grammie, Grandma, Nana, Great Nana, Aunt Jo and Aunt JoJo are all special names for this outstanding woman.
We know God had a special plan for her life and took her home to be with Him at just the right time. We will miss you so much, but know you are at peace now with a perfect body. Mrs. Leonard is survived by 7 children: Ronald (Maureen) Leonard, PA, Phyllis (Edward) Carney, NJ, Kenneth (Nancy) Leonard, NJ, Patricia (Jeffrey) Gibb, PA, Roy Leonard, GA, Joanne (William) Barrett, PA, Jenifer (Thomas) Turner, NJ, 18 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family.
In addition to her husband, Joan was preceded in death by a daughter Kathleen Fredericks, son-in-law Gil Siedelhofer and all of her siblings, Bailey Eggleston, Elizabeth Gilchrest, Eleanor Scheuch, Jean Fleischman, John Eggleston plus all of her sibling’s spouses. Family and friends will greet guests from 10-11a.m.on Saturday, January 26, 2019, with a Celebration of Life service at 11 a.m. to be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1428 Main St., Rahway, NJ 07065. Private burial will take place at Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, NJ on Monday, Jan.
28. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made in Joan’s name to the Lutheran Community at Telford Benevolence Fund, 12 Lutheran Home Drive, Telford, PA 18969 OR to Trinity United Methodist Church at the above address. Visit www.
williamsbergeykoffel.com to send online condolences.
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