Charles B. Leonard, paper firm president

Charles Burke “Bucky” Leonard Jr., retired president of the Leonard Paper Co., died of congestive heart failure Monday at the Blakehurst Retirement Community. The Lutherville resident was 84. Born in Baltimore and raised in Towson, he was the son of Charles B. Leonard Sr., who founded the family-owned industrial paper firm, and Elma Wessel.

He was a 1949 graduate of Loyola High School at Blakefield, where he was on the swimming and football teams.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business at Loyola College. He then served in the Marine Corps and left military service as a lieutenant.

He met his future wife, Mary Josephine “Jo” Harrington, when both were children. Their first date was in Rehoboth Beach, Del., at a showing of “The Wizard of Oz.”

He joined the family firm in 1955 when the business was located on Mathews Street. He worked in sales and sales management. He became president of the firm, now located on 725 N. Haven St., in 1982.

He retired in 2002.

“My father made friends wherever he went,” said a daughter, Mary Leonard Sager of Syracuse, N.Y. “Once he had made friends, he did not lose them.”

Mr. Leonard enjoyed travel and boating. He had a second home in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. He also presided over family feasts at a home he owned on Bodkin Creek.

A funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Ware Avenue, Towson, where was a member and Eucharistic minister.

He had also been an assistant Boy Scout leader at a troop based at the church.

In addition to his daughter, survivors include four sons, Michael E. Leonard of Lutherville, Charles B. “Chipper” Leonard of Park City, Utah, Robert C. Leonard of Parkton and John H. Leonard of Baldwin; another daughter, Devi Abbott of Timonium; a brother, Daniel Leonard of Parkton; a sister, Nandy Miller of Naples, Fla.; and 11 grandchildren. His wife of 62 years died in 2015.