In Memoriam: Richard J. Leone

From Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home.

Richard J. Leone, 79, of Stamford passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.

He was born in Stamford on January 18, 1937.

Richard, known to his friends as “Dickie”, was a Police Sergeant for the City of Stamford for many years before his retirement. Prior to his police career, Richard, proudly served his country with the United States Air Force.

His retirement consisted of owning, operating and successfully sustaining his own private business, R. J. Leone Traffic Markings. One of his favorite hobbies was his Tuesday afternoon golf outings with the Italian Center Men’s Club Team. He looked forward to a great round of golf with a great group of friends. Being an Italian Center Men’s Club Member was something he was always proud of.

The one thing he loved even more than golf, was his family. His daughters were everything to him and his grandchildren meant more than words can express. They knew that “Poppy” hung the moon and that he always will. There wasn’t a grandfather who was loved as much as he was.

He is survived by his wife, Alberta Compo Leone of Stamford, his loving daughters, Kim Ross and her husband Bobby of Cheasapeake, VA, Tracy Ritter and her husband Scott of Monroe, and his siblings, Barbara Arcano and her husband Nicholas of Lake Wales, FL, Michael Butts and his wife Nancy of Norwalk, Renee McDonald and her husband Jay of Charlotte, NC, as well as his seven grandchildren, Shelby Leone-Garofalo, Olivia Behling, Maria Behling, Carrie Ritter, Katie Walters, Skylar Ritter, Molly Ritter and his great-grandchildren, Ashton and Colton Walters.

Richard was predeceased by his mother Josephine DelVecchio Butts, a stepfather Roger M. Butts and his father Joseph Leone.

A funeral procession will be leaving the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Ave., Stamford on Friday, February 12, at 9:30 AM for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 AM at St. Maurice RC Church, 358 Glenbrook Rd., Stamford. Interment will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery, Darien. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday, February 11, from 4 to 8 PM.

To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com.