Obituary of Maria Elena Leonard

Maria Elena Leonard (Olmos) passed away peacefully and without pain, surrounded by her family, late Wednesday night, October 9, 2019, at the age of 95 at the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor. Maria Leonard was born in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 20th of 1924. Frustrated with lack of economic opportunities in her native Mexico, Maria emigrated to the United States when she was in her early 30s. In March 1957, Maria decided to serve her new country by enlisting in the Women's Army Corps (WAC). She soon found herself at Fort McClellan, Alabama, to receive basic training. After basic training, Maria was trained as a medic and was sent to Europe where she served with a medical unit in Germany for several years. While serving as a WAC, Maria met her future husband, Ray, a veteran of both World War II and Korea. Together, Ray and Maria would have four children. Maria was discharged in 1960, but she continued to serve her country as a Spanish instructor to military personnel at the Defense Language Institute. She later taught Spanish in private schools and at Hartnell College. In the 1980’s, several of Maria’s children relocated from California to Maine. In 1989, Maria also moved across the country to the Pine Tree State. A deeply religious woman, Maria was an active member of her local Catholic Church—both in California and in Maine. She eventually served the church as a lay minister. Maria remained active, independent, and inquisitive, exploring the world on tours of Thailand, Greece, and more well into her late 80’s. She was loved so very deeply by her family and will be forever. The kindness, selflessness and love she gave to her family and close friends is unmatched. The world lost a family legend that night. She will be welcomed with open arms in heaven. She is survived by her four children, Sandra DeGraff, Ray Leonard, Frances Plessner, and Robert Leonard. Her nine Grandchildren, Bernadette Leonard Dutra, Tabitha Leonard, Steven Mathis, Andrew Plessner, Samantha Aldus Read, Houston Mathis, Hannah Leonard, Emily Leonard and Isabelle DeGraff. Her six great-grandchildren, Tyler Ward, Makayla Ward, Steve Mathis, Alex Dutra, Elena Aldus and Sybil-Beth Read. And her two sisters Tere and Lulu. To say she will be missed is an understatement. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers A private celebration of life will be held for the family at a later date.