Frances Burroughs Leonhardt

Frances was born Friday, March 13, 1936, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Daisy Isabell Bancroft Burroughs and Charles James Burroughs. She claimed 13 as her lucky number even though many thought being born on Friday the thirteenth might be bad luck. She carried this positive outlook throughout her life! She was the fourth of five children and youngest daughter. Her older siblings were Charles, Elizabeth, and Catherine, while her younger brother was Allan. Frances grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and graduated from Norview High School in (1954). Fran worked at a department store while her high school sweetheart, Henry George Leonhardt, Jr., enlisted with the Navy. The two were married on October 22, 1956, in Norfolk, Virginia, then moved to Blacksburg, Virginia. Fran worked as a Secretary while Henry attended the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech), he graduated in 1962. That same year, they welcomed their first child, Baby Girl Leonhardt, who, unfortunately, was born prematurely and passed away.

Frances and Henry moved to Odenton, Maryland, in 1963, where they bought their first home. They had four more children, Fran cared for the children and household while Henry worked for the National Security Agency (NSA). Fran actively volunteered at their children’s elementary school, skillfully sewed clothing for their daughters, studied reading and writing and tutoring training to help their children learn well. She served with the Girl Scouts, taught Children’s Sunday school classes, and kept up with the day-to-day duties of a stay-at-home Mom of 4 growing children. In 1978 Henry’s employer moved them to Aurora, Colorado. There Fran enjoyed better sinus health with the dryer mountain air. She continued all her wife and parenting duties that began to expand due to the needs of her growing children as she shuffled them to extracurricular activities and jobs in their teen years. They were involved in the Navigators, Wycliffe Bible Translators, and Marriage Encounter. Throughout the years Fran cooked up amazing meals the family shared together almost every night. They regularly hosted guests in their home to play with their kids, or enjoy Sunday lunch after church service. She was an excellent hostess as she provided food, drink, and games when hosting the many youth and adult events they opened their home to. Frances and Henry raised their children with a love and knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. They encouraged personal relationships with Jesus Christ, whom they loved as their Savior.

Upon Henry’s retirement from the NSA, Fran and Henry purchased a motorhome and enjoyed traveling all over the United States for most of the 1990’s. They visited their children and enjoyed watching and experiencing their extended family grow as their children began having their grandchildren. While traveling they volunteered with the Texas Baptist Men Builders, building everything from churches to care facilities for those with special needs, from Texas to Arizona, and wherever they were called for a need. Fran served in food preparation for the builder teams, encouraged fellow workers, and was truly a help-mate for Henry. They both served their fellow residents at The Rainbow Plantation in Summerdale, Alabama, an Escapees RV Park, where they purchased a lot for periodic longer stays to enjoy the gulf coast. Fran enjoyed excursions with fellow residents to various cities within an hour or two of the park, sitting outside completing her word puzzle books, reading, and generally relishing in retirement.

In 2000 they returned to Aurora, Colorado, and purchased a condominium on the sixth floor of Heather Gardens, where they spent the next 20+ years. They spent many growing seasons managing a beautiful garden plot in the community garden. Fran and Henry enjoyed the view of the Colorado Rockies from their comfortable lanai and balcony, where from one direction they saw the mountains and the other they saw Henry’s former workplace, Buckley Air National Guard base. They always loved sharing their home and welcomed many gatherings there. In their late 60’s/early 70’s, Fran and Henry began attending Balloon Festivals with their youngest daughter and son-in-law (Pam and Bruce Wood). While participating as “crew members” Fran always shared her popular hot and spicy pickles, craft gifts, and other homemade snacks to the many ballooning friends they made over the years in various parts of Colorado and New Mexico.

Fran reconnected with her tutoring skills as she and Henry volunteered at local elementary schools several days a week assisting in Kindergarten and First grade. As society quieted a bit during Covid19 and some health issues began, volunteering at the school stopped and they stayed home more often. Their hearts were filled with great memories of working with children in the schools and their many gatherings with friends and family. Fran spent many productive hours crafting with plastic canvas, creating earrings, pen holders, adorable bookworm bookmarks, and more, to gift to friends and acquaintances. Frances and Henry regularly volunteered in various aspects within their community and supported the Navigators, Wycliffe and other organizations they believed in. They were faithful members and participants in several churches over many years, their last place of worship was the Chapel at Heather Gardens. They have always enjoyed time with their children and growing grandchildren; and in the last decade have welcomed great grandchildren into the family! After her husband passed away in Oct 2022, Fran moved to Garden Plaza of Aurora. While she enjoyed the activities and new friends she made there, she always missed her Henry until Jesus finally called her home to heaven. We believe there was quite the embrace and celebration upon her arrival.

Frances is survived by her daughter, Gertrude Lee (Anthony) of Minnesota, son Henry “Hank” Leonhardt, III, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, daughter Donna Campos (Gabriel) of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and daughter Pamela Wood (Bruce) of Carbondale, Colorado, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Catherine Josephine Smith, and Henry’s sister Lillian Duggan. Frances was preceded in death by her husband of almost 66 years, Henry George Leonhardt, Jr, (October, 5th, 2022), daughter, Baby Girl Leonhardt (1962), her parents Charles James Burroughs (1998) and Daisy Isabell Bancroft Burroughs (1997), sister, Elizabeth Isabel Wilson (2011), and brothers Charles James Burroughs (2016) and Allan Armistead Burroughs (2016).

Frances was best known for being Mom, which she loved and excelled at the position. Whether by blood, friends of her children, or other friendships, she mothered everyone around her as she showered them with food, little gifts to show how often she was thinking of them, and most of all, her hugs. But in all of life, her fiercest commitment was to her loving husband, Henry. After almost 10 months of missing him daily, she has reunited with him in heaven with God, who brought them together for a lifetime of love. Together again, listening and loving still, Frances and Henry are missed by many.