LAWRENCE – Leon Peter Aumais died Jan. 26 at the home he was born in, a welcoming place that he lovingly and meticulously cared for over the past 79 years.
Born to Hervé Sr. and Blanche (Hugo) Aumais, he was the youngest of 5 children. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1958 and was a hard worker from a young age, holding jobs on dairy farms and at Fournier’s Market. A Good Conduct Medal recipient, Leon proudly served in the U.S. Navy - a nod to his love of the sea - from 1958 to 1961, stationed aboard the USS Sarda submarine. Whether treating his bride-to-be to a ride on his sailboat, fishing in local ponds and rivers, playing Paddleball at York Beach, Maine or looking out at the mouth of the Merrimack, he treasured time spent by the water.
For 40 years, he worked at Raytheon where he retired as an engineering assistant and had many friends. He was gifted with a mechanical mind and eagerly passed on his knowledge, providing simple explanations to complex concepts like a car’s exhaust system, the jet stream, trigonometry and how Raytheon’s Sparrow Missile could hit its target, to name a few. He was a skilled woodworker and the ultimate handyman. If Pepére couldn’t fix it, then it couldn’t be fixed. Harmless pranks and silly jokes were his calling cards. A master storyteller, he was big on details and laughed along with his listeners. He loved the simple things: a strong cup of coffee, the Daily Jumble, steak cooked on a charcoal grill, a beer and a smoke at the British Club, tickling the paws of a snoozing dog, a pocketful of Bazooka bubblegum to share…
His family meant the world to him. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Linda (Delaney); daughters Melissa and her husband Bill Fili of Methuen and Jennifer and her husband Greg Brooks of Tampa, Fla.; sisters Marie Aumais of Methuen and Claire Lord of Dover, N.H.; grandchildren Jared and Shayne Fili and Delaney and Caitlin Brooks; and many oh-so-beloved nieces and nephews. Leon was predeceased by his brothers Hervé Jr. and Richard Aumais.
Visitation will be Saturday, 10am at the Burke-Magliozzi Funeral Home, 390 N. Main St., Andover, followed by a Celebration of Life at 11am. Leon’s family would like to thank doctors and nurses at the Roxbury and Jamaica Plain VAs, the staff at Fresenius in Methuen as well as the wonderful home-hospice staff at Care Dimensions. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Leon’s name to the nonprofit Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. For additional information, please visit, www.burkemagliozzi.com.