Mitch Leonard

Leonard J. Mitch, 94, of Butler passed away peacefully Saturday afternoon at the VNA Inpatient Hospice surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Butler on Sept. 30, 1919, Leonard was the last surviving child of Florian and Katherine Unger Mitch.

Leonard was a 1938 graduate of Butler High School. The 1938 Magnet described him as “steadfast, sincere, able, courteous, … embodying the best qualities of the Class of 1938.” These are traits that were only magnified over his lifetime.

Deeply religious, he entered the Capuchin Franciscan order as a brother, but after a decade of service, found that was not to be his lifetime vocation. After leaving the order he worked briefly for the Butler Eagle before joining the staff of the Social Security Administration where he was employed until his retirement in 1984.

Very active in his parish, he was a lector at the church and a former member of the church council. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities, Saint Mary’s fish dinners and community dinner. He delivered meals to residents through Butler Meals on Wheels for more than 20 years.

He also enjoyed gardening, canning and building jigsaw puzzles.

Leonard will be greatly missed by his beloved wife, Clare Baptiste Mitch, who he married on Sept. 19, 1955. Also left to honor his memory are his seven children, Cathy (Gary) Moser, Jim (Kim) Mitch, Ray Mitch, Sue (Joe) Jordan, John (Fatima) Mitch, Don (Grace) Mitch and Carol Mitch (Karl Oehrtman); his 14 grandchildren, Brennan and Nathan Mitch, Ted, Jeff, Tom and Amy Mitch, Christy Whittaker and Wendy Jordan, Kaitlyn, Stephen and Raymond Mitch, and Tyne, Jimmy and Mckenna Flannigan; and his great-grandson, Bradley Whittaker.

He was preceded in death by his daughter-in-law, Carol Miller Mitch (Ray).

Mitch— The friends of Leonard J. Mitch, who passed away, Saturday, May 3, 2014, will be received at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Saint Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church in Herman. Interment will follow at St. Mary Cemetery in Herman.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 821 Herman Road, Butler, PA 16002; to Butler Meals on Wheels, 218 E. Jefferson St., Butler, PA 16001, or to Butler VNA Inpatient Hospice, 115 Technology Drive, Butler, PA 16001.For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.