Diane J. Leonard

Diane Janke Leonard went home to be with the Lord in the very early hours of Sunday, December 20, 2020. She was 85 years old. Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1935, Diane was the oldest child of the late Joseph J. Janke and Henrietta Wilamoski who moved their family to Orlando in 1945. Diane graduated from Winter Park High in 1954, where she loved singing and performing in the WPHS glee club's musicals, and with the vocal trio known as The Blondettes.

Diane's dream was to be married and have children. That dream came true when she married popular Orlando bachelor, Wilson Leonard, Jr. ("The most handsome man I'd ever met…") in 1957. They were married for 53 years, until Wilson's death in February 2010; they had five children. Diane and Wilson both loved the Florida sunshine and spending weekends with their kids at Cocoa Beach, and summers in Sarasota. They also shared a mutual love of sports. "Mother loved watching all kinds of sports especially the Florida Gators football," Tara remembers. "She went to a lot of games back in the 50s and 60s with our dad. Even in her later years we always had to make sure she knew what channel the Gator game was on because she would get upset if we forgot to tell her. She always made sure to have on her Gator colors on game day and she'd call us at half time or after the game to talk about some of the plays."

Her Son, David, said, "She was an Orlando legend… the original Lady Diana!" a Gator fan, an expert on food additives, and the person who made it cool to be a germaphobe. I will miss the Sunday phone calls that started like this... "David, did you go to the game yesterday? (Yes.) Well, your Father and I swear we saw you on TV. Were you wearing a Gator baseball cap and a blue Gator polo?" LOL!

Some of LuAnn's favorite memories are of the many slumber parties the Leonard sisters had and how, "Mother was just "one of the girls" staying up so late with us, telling stories and laughing with all of our friends. Many of them she continued to have a relationship with through the years. She was the fun mom and I just loved that my friends adored her. That carried on to the next generation with her granddaughter, Lily. They were like two teenagers when they were together, watching tv and laughing until 2 A.M.! So very heartwarming. She had that effect on people. I will miss those long phone calls."

Diane loved cooking for her big family; she did a lot of it and was really good at it—especially fried chicken! She also loved music and singing and she filled her home with popular hits and classics from movie musicals, passing along a love of music and the performing arts to her children— even "directing" them in musical performances for family and friends in their home. Marilee remembers her Mother sitting her and her two older sisters on the kitchen counter stools and teaching them three-part harmony to the Beatles' songs and some of her favorite 1950's torch songs.

The Christmas holiday was Diane's favorite of all, and she made it such a special, big, fun time for her whole family; starting the tradition of a Christmas Eve "live" nativity casting all the young cousins in the traditional roles, complete with a reading from the Gospel of Luke. It seems so fitting that Diane went Home with Jesus during her most favorite and wonderful time of the year.

By far, Diane considered the greatest personal accomplishment of her life to be her five children, in whom he was most proud: Punky, LuAnn, Marilee, David and Tara; and her two grandchildren Lily and William Johns.

But the Love of Diane's life was her Lord, Savior and "Best Friend," Jesus Christ. Her pursuit of Jesus was genuine, and over the past 11 years her relationship with him became sweeter and sweeter, with a deeply abiding child-like faith that grew bigger and bolder by the day. Jesus was her constant companion and conversationalist; she talked to him all the time, and she talked about him with everyone: the grocery store clerks, her neighbors, her children, and her friends at Grand Villa of Altamonte Springs where she lived her last days. Even last week when she was admitted to the hospital her nurse said, "Your Mom is a joy to be with; she's told me all about Jesus and how much I needed him in my life!" And she would remind her kids at the close of every phone call with her, "And don't forget to talk to Jesus. He's your best friend! God bless you!"

Her son-in-law, Ben Scholl said, "There was never a conversation with me where she did not mention Jesus and his love. She will be missed but she is now in the arms of the Lord in pure holiness."

"The last 10 years of my Mother's life were her greatest," says her daughter, Punky; I loved listening to her tell me stories from her life, and we talked a lot about what she was learning in the Scriptures. She had the sweetest faith and trust in Jesus. She prayed for everybody and about everything; she definitely had the gift of intercessory prayer! Mother finished strong; and she makes me want to live my life the same way."

Diane is preceded in death by her husband, Wilson Burke Leonard, Jr. She is survived by her daughters Karen "Punky" Tolson and husband Rev. Dr. John, Dallas, TX; LuAnn Leonard Johns and husband, Bill, NY, NY; Marilee Leonard Allardice and husband, Scott, New Smyrna Beach, FL; Tara Leonard Scholl and husband, Ben, Winter Park, FL; and her son, her son, David Wilson Leonard, Gainesville, FL; granddaughter, Lily Johns and grandson, William Johns; sisters Claudia Hastings and her husband, Ted, Orlando; Jody Bass, Orlando; 5 nieces and 2 nephews.

A private blessing and burial service for Diane will be held at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Winter Park. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that those who may wish to contribute memorials consider directing them to the discipleship ministries of The Tolson Group (501c3), 8111 Preston Road, Suite 490, Dallas, TX 75225.

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