Edmund Eugene “Ed” Leonette
Passed away Thursday, October 17, 2024. A native Pittsburgher and proud of his Italian roots, Ed grew up in the Larimer neighborhood and later moved to Penn Hills with his new family. He went to Westinghouse High School, Robert Morris College, and served in the Army National Reserve. He was actively involved in the Knights of Columbus and his church, St. John The Fisher. As an accountant, Ed worked for the City of Pittsburgh and various local companies. He also maintained a private accounting practice which he continued to operate until his death.
Ed’s wife Rose Marie Leonette preceded him in death. They were married for 53 years. He is survived by his sisters, Theresa Sicuro and Elizabeth Foley; his children and their partners, John Leonette and Bill Yates, Frank and Kellie Leonette, Michelle Leonette and James Stitt; his granddaughter Giavanna Stitt; honorary family member, Amy Hart; and his girlfriend Arlene Eathorne.
Everyone who met Ed, experienced his kind, loving, and generous manner. He put other’s needs and desires ahead of his own, finding happiness and fulfillment through their joy and achievements. He was truly one of a kind. He loved life, his family, people, and numbers. Dancing, jazz, golf, cars, and, vino. He liked to travel and always arrived with an open heart. He never failed to “run into” someone he knew anywhere he was in the world. He was often referred to as “the Mayor”. He adored his family and friends, being the one they relied on for advice and compassion. When you were Ed’s friend, you became “la familia”. As he’d say, “once you’re in, you’re in.”
Friends and Family received in the William F. Gross Funeral Home, Ltd. 11735 Frankstown Road (at Rodi Road) Penn Hills on Monday, October 21, 2024 from 2-4 and 6-8 and Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 2-4 and 6-8. Funeral Prayers will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 9:20 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, St. John Fisher Church, 33 Lewin Road, Churchill, PA 15235 at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to St. Jude Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, Sons Of Italy Foundation, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, or to Knights Of Columbus Charities, Inc., 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510.
"The life you have left is a gift. Cherish it. Enjoy it now, to the fullest. Do what matters, now." - Leo Babauta