Obituary of Leon Lawrence

Leon Lawrence, 74, of Ithaca, NY, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 20, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Leon was born in Atlanta, GA on June 8, 1942, to Wilbur and Frances Lawrence. The family later moved to Peekskill, NY, where Leon spent most of his childhood and graduated from high school. He was a veteran of the US Air Force and a graduate of the University of Vermont (UVM), where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees. He married Diana Rosiello in 1967 in New York City. They lived and raised their family in Vermont for 35 years. Over the course of his career, Leon worked for IBM, the University of Vermont, and Cornell University. In July 2016, he became the Executive Director of Southside Community Center in Ithaca. Leon was always ready and eager to help wherever and whenever he could. He served many communities, organizations, committees, students, and individuals throughout his life. He was a very sweet and kind man. His work was his true passion, and he was Patti LaBelle's biggest fan. Survivors include: his wife of 50 years, Diana; sons Noel (Lihua), Eric, and Daniel; daughter Gabriella; sister Betty Kilpatrick (Barry); brothers Robert (Renee) and Frank (Eloise); grandchildren Leon Scott and Katherine; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Linda and Vic Conte; many nieces and nephews; a large extended family; and adoring dog, Bella. A celebration of Leon's life will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at The Space at Greenstar Co-op, 700 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca, NY, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leon's memory to Southside Community Center, 301 S. Plain St., Ithaca, NY 14850, or Hospicare, 172 E. King Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850.