Obituary of Eleanor Jeanette Leek

Dr. Eleanor Jeannette Leek MD, 82, of South Canton Road, Potsdam, NY, passed peacefully on Sunday, February 4th of 2024, at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam, NY.

The family will receive friends at Lawrence Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 21 Park Street, Canton, NY, on Friday, February 9th, from Noon to 2:00 PM.  Her funeral will follow calling hours with Pastor William Huckle officiating.  The burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Canton, NY.

Jean was born May 25th of 1941 in Greenville, Mississippi, the daughter of the late Charles David Kellenberger Jr. and Eleanor Reid Kellenberger (Liddle).  She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC, with a B.A. in Mathematics in 1963, and from Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, in 1967 with a Doctor of Medicine.  In 1969 Jean completed her Internship and Residency in Family Practice at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse, NY.

At Killington Ski Resort, VT, in April of 1970 Jean met her husband, Jerry Calvin Leek, Esq. at a single’s lodge where woman boarded on the top floor and men on the first floor.  Over blueberry muffins, Jerry asked Jean to ski with him.  She accepted and end up falling off a poma lift, and Jerry thought he had lost her.  Fortunately, a few runs later, he found her at the bottom of a chairlift waving her poles saying, “Here I am Jerry!”  Jerry asked Jean to marry him on their second date.  She said let’s date a little more… Five months later, they married on September 5th of 1970, in Greensboro, NC.   Jerry gave Jean the option to either have a diamond engagement ring or a 2-week honeymoon to Vail and Aspin, Colorado. She opted for the ski vaca/honeymoon!

Jerry served in the US Armed forces from 1965-1970 and was a JAG Officer in the US Army, where he rose to the rank of Major.  Following his time in the military, Jerry resided in Staten Island and worked as an attorney for Merrill Lynch on Wall Street in lower Manhattan.   Staten Island was where the couple first resided, and Jean was employed by Roosevelt Hospital, Manhattan, NY.  For two years, they lived in New Jersey.  Then, they moved to Potsdam, NY, where for a short time Jean was the physician for Clarkson University. She always wanted to open her own Family Practice in her home and made it happen in 1976 on South Canton Road in Potsdam, NY.  In 1991 she closed her Family Practice and became the full-time physician for Potsdam College of the State University of New York where she retired from in 2006.  She was also the contracted physician for a group of developmentally disabled homes (ICFs) until 2020.

Residing in Potsdam, NY, Jean was an active member of her church, Community Christian Church, of Parishville, NY, which eventually relocated to Norwood, NY.  These past few years she had been a member of Christian Fellowship Center (CFC), Potsdam, NY.

Surviving are her three daughters, Christine Leek Eldred and husband Timothy John Eldred of Cambridge, NY, Melanie Susan Vavruick and husband Joseph Charles Vavruick of Mayfield, NY, and Stephanie Ruth Weiss and husband Adam Jordan Weiss of Amsterdam, NY; and sister Susan Moody and husband Guy Moody; and five grandchildren including Ethan James Eldred, Rozlynn Marie Eldred, Kaitlyn Rose Vavruick, Shawn Charles Weiss, and Ryan Alexander Weiss.

Mom loved to read, but Jerry could convince her to enjoy outdoor activities with family and friends on many scenic and fun-filled adventures.  Whether hiking, kayaking, camping, Nordic or alpine skiing, they had a happy and content life together.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Alzheimer's Association- Alz.org or your local church and charities of choice.

Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.lawrencefuneralhome.org