CHESTER, Vt. – Leonard E. Jerome, 91, was born in Montpelier, Vt., Aug. 15, 1930 to Wesley and Ruth Jerome. He passed away at his home in Chester, Vt., Nov. 21, 2021.
Leonard’s military service was in the U.S. Marines. Much of his life was spent in Springfield, Mass., working as an engineer. For the last decades of his life, he lived in Chester, Vt., on the land he cherished. He was fervently independent and was content with the solitary environment he chose where he had loved to hunt and where he was determined to live out his life.
During his years in Vermont, he enjoyed some years of sailing on his boat, made three cross-country road trips in a van he built, and fulfilled his dreams of acquiring a pilot license, owning his own plane, and hunting in Alaska.
Leonard is survived by his son Geoffrey Jerome (Crystal Glenn) and their three children Theron Jones II, and McKenzie and McKyley Jerome. Leonard also had three stepchildren Mary Beer (Josiah), the late John Neal (Christine Gowen), and James Neal (Patti), all of Walpole, N.H., and many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. He is survived by his niece Ruth Emery of Springfield, Vt., and her daughter Elishia Boyce Moore and her sons Logan and Avery.
He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Pauline Benowitz and Thelma Spies, his grandson Jaron G. Jerome, his first wife Mary Jerome, his nephew Arthur Thomas, and his second wife Kathryn Neal Jerome and her beloved son John.
Leonard’s wishes were for his ashes to become part of his hunting grounds and to have a small service at Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield, Vt., the date to be determined.