Bernard John Leary

Bernard John Leary BJ, 84, of Greenfield Drive, Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at his home in Portsmouth, VA. Born in Burlington, VT, he was the son of Elizabeth and Patrick Leary, the sixth of ten children. He grew up in Burlington, attending Cathedral Grade School and Cathedral High School. He was an extremely faithful altar boy in the Catholic Church throughout his very young years, in all kinds of VT weather, particularly serving early Masses at Mount Saint Mary?s Convent. He also worked very hard as a young boy at many odd jobs, especially caddying on the golf course and shoveling snow, in order to help support his younger brothers and sisters during the Great Depression. BJ left school to join the Navy during World War II and retired as Chief Petty after 25 years of military service, having served on various Naval Bases, especially Norfolk VA. He was proud of his service in the Sixth Fleet on ships such as the USS Forrestal, especially in the Mideast. Following his Navy retirement, he worked for Associated Naval Architects. In his spare time he refereed many basketball games in the Portsmouth area and enjoyed golf. Until ill health curtailed his activites, he also enjoyed meeting fellow veterans at Bingo gatherings, traveling with his wife and children on cruises, and general visiting with various family members, for whom he was always a most kind and generous father, grandfather, grandfather, uncle, brother-in-law and brother. Survivors include his children; Kathleen Paul Andraso, John Leary, Patricia Ann Peter Blake, Eileen Conway, Linda Ron Widener, Oswald B. Laura Smithwick Jr.; a sister, Maxine Leary; sisters-in-law, Sophie Cornelius Leary, Katie Louis Leary, Diane Gerald Leary, Mozel Gary Goodman, and Pansey Ronnie Sells; a brother-in-law, Bobbie Marlene Kepley. He is also survived by many nephews, nieces, grandchildren. Mr. Leary was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Barbara Haughom; his wife Elsie Smithwick; his son, James Michael; his daughter Nora Elizabeth Leary Lawson; grandson, Walter Widener; four brothers: Cornelius, Patrick, Louis, and Gerald; four sisters and three brothers-in-law, Catherine Ross Frye, Christina Leary, Ellen Donald Gero, and Elizabeth Raymond Shepard; grandchildren; nieces; nephews and other devoted family members. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday November 25th in Loving Funeral Home, Churchland Chapel, by the Rev. Jarek. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery 8100 Granby Street Norfolk with Full Military Honors. The family will receive friends in the funeral home Friday from 1to 2 p.m.

Bernard John Leary

November 21, 2011