Leonard Francis Cain

Leonard Francis Cain passed away at Sacred Heart Home in Hyattsville, MD on July 10, 2020 at the age of 98 after a bout of pneumonia.

Leonard (a.k.a. “Francis”) was born Jan. 29, 1922 in Pottstown, PA, the son of the late Catherine (neé McEvoy) and Leonard F. Cain, Sr.; step-son of the late James S. Wilke.

He attended St. Aloysius Parochial School in Pottstown, was the valedictorian of his class at St. Peter’s Catholic High School in Reading, PA, and graduated magna cum laude in 1943 from St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia. Leonard earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC in 1966.

During World War II, Leonard served in the Army as a translator of Japanese.

Leonard’s 41-year career (1949 to 1990) was devoted to Catholic University, where he taught Economics and held administrative positions, including being the first layperson to be Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (1966-1974).

Ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church in 1980, he was the first deacon assigned to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC.

Leonard was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Mary (neé Townsend, 2008), and his two brothers, Joe and Tim Cain, of Pottstown. He is survived by his sister, Mary Mercedes (“Sis”) Cain; his children: Michael (Belinda); Sheila (Kelly Coghill), of Lansdale; Patrick; Eileen; Teresa (Gary Holahan); Kevin; Christopher (Loretta), of Philadelphia; Monica; Brendan (Sherry); Anthony (Leslie); and Deirdre Patterson; 18 grandchildren and 21 greatgrandchildren.

A Requiem Mass was celebrated July 17 at St. Jerome’s in Hyattsville, MD. Interment was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, MD.