Edward Leon
Of Arlington Heights

Edward Leon, Ph.D., 81, of Arlington Heights and a 30 year Barrington resident, died peacefully at home on December 22, 2006 surrounded by his family. Dr. Leon, a chemist and financial planner, was born in Benton, IL, on May 2, 1925.

He was the son of Mary (nee Letukas) and John Leon, a laundress and a coal miner who emigrated from Lithuania in 1920. His early love of science led him to pursue a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1949, where his scholarship was honored with an engraved bronze tablet on display at the University library. Following service in the Army in World War II and being decorated with a Purple Heart, he went on to earn his MS and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Michigan in 1956.

Dr. Leon served as Research Manager and Research Lab Director at Occidental Petroleum and Borg-Warner Chemicals in New York , West Virginia and Des Plaines, IL. The holder of 12 U.S. patents and numerous foreign patents, he contributed articles to various professional journals throughout his career. Following retirement, he became a Certified Financial Planner and formed Cooper-Leon Financial Services.

Dr. Leon was on the Board of Directors of his local chapter of the International Association of Financial Planners. Dr. Leon is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. His leisure pursuits in retirement included oil painting, classical guitar and foreign languages.

Edward Leon was the beloved husband for 53 years of Mary Ellen (Cooper) Leon of Luther Village in Arlington Heights; loving father of Ellen Leon (David) Carbonell, Edward Robert (Kimberly) Leon and Carol Catherine (Robert) Zombo; and devoted grandfather to Christopher, Robert and Jonathan Leon, Katherine and Sarah Zombo, and Adam Carbonell.

Visitation from 3:00 until 9:00 PM, Tuesday, December 26, 2006 at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road, (four blocks south of Palatine Road) Arlington Heights. Funeral service 10:00 AM, Wednesday, December 27, 2006 at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., followed by interment at Evergreen Cemetery, Barrington.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the American Cancer Society 1114 N. Arlington Hts. Rd., Arl. Hts., IL 60004.