Press, Post-Gazette journalist with a nose for news
Whenever Vince Leonard went anywhere or met anyone, he would ask for more information.
His son, Jim Zeiler, remembers driving in the car with his father when he was young, and if his father saw something happening, he would pull over, ask questions and phone in to the newsroom. And later, when Mr. Leonard was traveling and exploring the country with his longtime love, Shirley Zeiler, he carried a notebook.
“Everywhere he went he’d be out talking to different people and he’d be jotting down things in a notebook,” Mr. Zeiler said. “He got to be on a first-name basis with pretty much everybody he came in contact with. When he met someone, he asked for details.”
Mr. Leonard, of Ingram, who also wrote under the pen name Rocky Phillips, died Thursday, after a sudden illness. He was 86.
A McKees Rocks native and Korean War veteran, Mr. Leonard graduated from McKees Rocks High School and the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in journalism. He worked for three decades as a reporter and editor for The Pittsburgh Press and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, covering sports and television.
He was a bit of a “playboy,” his son joked, and interviewed more than 200 celebrities throughout the course of his career, including Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio, Roberto Clemente, Gene Kelly, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. His time in the U.S. Navy and his travel for work took him to all 50 states and 27 countries.
His work appeared in numerous publications and news services, and he co-authored the book “Pittsburgh Characters,” a compilation of Pittsburgh stories told by “veteran newshounds.”
“Vince was a terrific writer with an unerring eye for the little-person feature,” said Peter Leo, a retired Post-Gazette columnist and former colleague who sat near Mr. Leonard in the newsroom. “He was a throwback to the days when colorful characters inhabited newsrooms, a streetwise college guy who placed the occasional bet, equally at home quoting Shakespeare as he was quoting odds.”
Barry Paris, another former Post-Gazette colleague, said Mr. Leonard was extremely well-read and could write about anything, whether it be politics, police or celebrities.
“What he most loved was writing about little people, the unsung characters in Pittsburgh,” Mr. Paris said. “He just excelled at capturing people … .”
After he retired from the newspaper in 1988, he continued to write a local suburban column under the name Rocky Phillips, his son said. Rocky for his hometown of McKees Rocks, and Phillips for his middle name.
Mr. Leonard always had a Post-Gazette in his hands said Mr. Zeiler, who lives in Kennedy. He loved watching sports — baseball and football were his favorites — and placing all the photos, cards, notes and mementos he collected over the years into scrapbooks.
Mr. Leonard “resisted technology,” and refused to buy a cell phone. He hated working on a computer, and still had his original typewriter he used when he worked at the newspaper, faded keys and all.
In addition to his son, Mr. Leonard is survived by his companion of 57 years, Shirley Zeiler; two daughters, Angela and Monica Leonard; three step-children, Darcy Zeiler, John Kuttler and Bruce Kuttler; two grandchildren and numerous stepgrandchildren and step-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held 2 p.m. Monday at the Anthony Musmanno Funeral Home in Kennedy, followed by a blessing service at 7:30 p.m.