Anna “Polly” Leonard

Anna “Polly” Leonard, 91, wife of the Reverend Richard Leonard, died on May 14, 2016, at Delmar Gardens in Lawrenceville, GA, after a seven year struggle with Alzheimer’s. Rev. Leonard is Minister Emeritus of All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City.

Born September 9, 1924, in Lancaster, PA, Anna Barr Leonard was married to Stanley C. Mason during WWII. After that marriage ended in divorce, she and Richard Leonard were married in 1970. Her three children and his daughters combined in an extended family of almost 200 persons, which included their parents, their siblings and families, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, plus innumerable relatives and in-laws. Polly was the matriarch, delighting in the yearly family reunions.

She excelled in the banking world and conducted investigations for Citibank CEOs Walter Wriston and John Reed. She was a marvelous cook. Polly traveled the world together with Dick over the years, including trips to Mongolia, Nepal, Antarctica, Japan, China and Russia. At the same time, she was an active participant in church life.

Her daughter Helen Thilo Bigelow preceded her in death, but Polly is survived by her children, Kenneth Grant Mason and Martha Jean Mason, her stepdaughters, Suzanne Sykora and Elizabeth Leonard. Her winsome spirit is missed by her family, her friends, and her congregation. Her memorial service at All Souls on October 1, 2016 was attended by hundreds.

Donations in her name can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to All Souls Church, 1157 Lexington Ave., NY, NY 10075. Letters of condolence may be sent to Dick Leonard, 142 West End Ave, #15-V, New York, NY 10023-6112.