[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 111 (Wednesday, July 16, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1177-E1178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN MEMORY OF EAST HARTFORD LEGEND, FREDERICK W. LEONE, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 16, 2014

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, the following is a heartfelt 
eulogy that was delivered by Mary Ann Oliva Leone on the life and 
passing of my dear friend and East Hartford legend, Fred Leone. It is 
an honor for me to submit her beautiful remarks that so eloquently 
capture this great American:

                       Eulogy For My Husband Fred

       Good morning. We would like to thank everyone for attending 
     today to celebrate the life of my husband Fred, better known 
     as ``Rick'' to his family and others. I know many of you have 
     traveled a long distance on this bitter, cold, wintry day to 
     be here today. I know too, Rick probably had his hand in this 
     storm, as he loved this kind of ``put on your fur trappers 
     hat and fire up the snow blower'' weather. If he couldn't be 
     in his beloved state of Vermont, then he was going to bring 
     Vermont to him! Rick was always intrigued by the weather, 
     especially the makings of a good storm. We were appreciative 
     of

[[Page E1178]]

     all efforts at Glastonbury HealthCare Center to have his bed 
     by the windows so he could watch the day's weather unfold 
     into the night.
       January 18, 1969: On a cold Sunday similar to this one, I 
     walked into this St. Rose Church to attend the 10:30 am Mass. 
     The church was very crowded back then and I sat in the same 
     seat in the back that I always took right under the Station 
     of Cross of ``Veronica wiping the face of Jesus.'' This 
     particular morning however, I felt a presence next to me. I 
     could not concentrate on the Mass; I could barely breathe and 
     I could not wait to go to Communion, just to regain my 
     composure. Returning back from Communion, I could not find 
     the pew that I had always sat in . . . then I see this about 
     6 foot or so, tan camel hair coat, white t-shirt wearing guy 
     laughing and pointing to the seat right next to him! 
     Embarrassed, little did I know that I was standing next to my 
     future husband. As the story goes, Fred offers me a ride home 
     from church. Now keep in mind, the Oliva homestead was less 
     than 5 minutes from the church's front steps! I accepted the 
     ride anyway . . . Fred in the driver's seat and his Mom in 
     the middle of course, and then myself. That seating 
     arrangement would remain that way for a very long time with 
     Marjorie in the middle. A week later we went on our first 
     date, two weeks later Fred went to the Military Academy for a 
     visitation to attend West Point. He instead chose the 
     University of Vermont and I, Central Connecticut.
       July 30, 1977: Fred and I marry here at St. Rose Church 
     where we first met. Prior to marriage, you have to provide 
     your baptismal certificate. When I came across the 
     certificate, attached to it was a clipping from the St. Rose 
     Church bulletin dated April 1951, stating Fred and I were 
     both baptized together here at St. Rose. We were born a week 
     apart; Fred on April 1st and I on April 8th. Also, Fred's 
     cousin Kip was baptized that day as they both shared the same 
     birthday. Further research showed that Fred and I received 
     the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion the same day 
     here at St. Rose. We also both received the sacrament of 
     Confirmation together at St. Isaac Jogues Church because they 
     happened to be remodeling St. Rose at the time. All our 
     sacraments together here in this Church!
       Being born on April Fool's Day gives you a certain role to 
     fulfill, and Fred took it very seriously. Senior year in high 
     school he was elected Class Comedian. At the University of 
     Vermont he was written up in several publications as a 
     ``Super Fan.'' Allow me please, to read one such article from 
     the Burlington Press entitled, ``SUPER FANS'' by Wally 
     Johnson:
       ``The stands at the UVM rink are filled to capacity for 
     games, and the students yell their lungs out. One student, a 
     freshman football player, is sort of an unofficial 
     cheerleader, and when he gets people fired up in one section 
     of the stands, the excitement is usually contagious. The 
     gridder is Rick Leone, from Hartford, Conn. And he was the 
     guy waving his coat and shirt around in the cold confines of 
     the hockey rink during the Catamounts upset of UNH. Leone, 
     who also has some pretty good monologues about all sorts of 
     subjects, is loud, wears the wildest purple hat ever made, 
     and is funny as well as a big sports fan. ``You just can't 
     get mad at the guy, he's too funny,'' a UVM student who sat 
     behind Rick during the last game said. Every school has its 
     own Rick Leone, be it at high school or college and this type 
     of person, perhaps best described as a ``super fan,'' is an 
     asset every coach would like to have at his side.''
       Fred did not love April Fool's Day because it was his 
     birthday, but because it was a full continuous day of sharing 
     his stories, pranks and jokes with everyone. Former employees 
     would tell you the front counter of the liquor store was his 
     ``pulpit'' where he did what he loved best . . . interacting 
     with everyone. A funny story, joke, or local happening passed 
     on from one customer to another. Fred loved going to make his 
     morning deposits at Webster's bank where another audience of 
     the girls and customers waited for his ``joke of the day.'' 
     Sunday mornings at Stop & Shop where he regularly checked in 
     with Jeff ``the butcher,'' meeting and greeting neighbors and 
     customers as he shops. I, however, ruined the shopping 
     experience for him. I just wanted to go in, get my groceries 
     and return home so I could start cooking Sunday dinner. So we 
     left Sunday shopping for Fred to enjoy his weekly adventure!
       Fred was a brilliant man with background knowledge on 
     almost any subject that was brought up in conversations. We 
     attribute that to his love of reading. Out attic, cellar and 
     shelves at home are filled with books. If Fred could not pass 
     a book along then it got shelved in one of these places. When 
     Gianni was in second grade, I remember Fred reading Gianni, 
     ``The Old Man and the Sea'' by Ernest Hemingway. Explaining 
     details as he read aloud to his grandson and it was Fred's 
     own personal copy he had back when he was in school! Vermont 
     and National Geographic were his favorite magazines. When our 
     daughters were much younger they too awaited the monthly 
     issues of National Geographic because their father had made a 
     game out of checking the covers of each issue. The best was 
     when he was the baboon, gorilla, or other exotic creatures 
     from who knows where on the covers, and you knew it was 
     happening when Fred would announce holding up the magazine . 
     . . ``Look everyone--your mother made the cover of National 
     Geographic again!'' The girls would crack up laughing . . . 
     Very funny, Fred!
       Then there was a serious side of Fred, a man of great 
     faith, the importance of attending mass and participating in 
     the church community. When our family was younger we attended 
     pot luck suppers, organized bake sales and arts and crafts 
     and tag sales. Our life for one week in July revolved around 
     Fred co-chairing the popular St. Rose Carnival with the 
     Futtner and Ramsey families. Our wedding anniversary always 
     fell during carnival week and Fred would joke ``What more do 
     you want on our wedding anniversary, Mary? We have games, 
     entertainment, music (from the carousel), good food (sausage 
     and peppers and fried dough)--all on the grounds of the 
     church we were married!'' We always later celebrated at a 
     very nice restaurant.
       Family . . . What more can I say? Rick's loyalty and love 
     for his grandparents and their rich traditions . . . how he 
     loved to retell stories about life on the tobacco farm. 
     Following into his father's footsteps with his help and 
     guidance as he sat in on business meetings . . . to move 
     forward into the future . . . all for the love of his family; 
     so proud of his daughters Marisa and Vanessa in their 
     accomplishments in life. Gianna and Angelina were the special 
     joys of his life; how he loved taking Gianni to Boy Scout 
     campouts and events. He introduced him to the Three Stooges. 
     He enjoyed taking and picking up Angelina from preschool. 
     Fred introduced her to Tom & Jerry cartoons! A special place 
     in Fred's heart he had for all his nieces and nephews . . . 
     especially when Ted and Josh took their Uncle Fred to a 
     Jethro Tull Concert . . . He loved it! Fred would relive 
     their performance every time he heard one of their songs!
       As Fred's illness progressed, and it did very rapidly, he 
     continued to stay involved in everything the best he could 
     and gradually we came to him now to accommodate his needs and 
     wants. Nothing made him happier than all your lines of 
     communication; texts, emails, Caring Bridge, phone calls, 
     cards, notes and visits . . , for our dear friends and family 
     I thank every one of you!
       Thank you to Mom, Dad, Tom, Camille, Marisa, Gianni and 
     Angelina for all your support and for standing by me these 
     last few months. I could not have done this without you. This 
     was a group effort of love and you did it beautifully--with 
     me.
       Before Fred went on the respirator a couple of weeks ago, 
     he said to me, as I was giving him ice chips to soothe his 
     dry mouth, ``Mary I think I now know how Jesus felt.'' I 
     said, ``What do you mean, Fred?'' ``The pain Jesus must have 
     felt being nailed to the cross and when they took a cloth 
     soaked with vinegar and applied it to his lips . . . How he 
     must have suffered!''

     You--my dear husband will now suffer no more.
     Until we can breathe deeply again,
     Enjoy the fruits of the vine again,
     And hold each other's hand again,
     I wish you peace.
     Please watch over us, guide and protect us.
     And I ask this through Christ our Lord.
     Amen and God Bless.

                          ____________________