Louise Homstead Leonard McKinney, passed away on November 8, 2024, at Parker Ridge Retirement Community in Blue Hill, Maine. She was 99 years old.
Born on February 3, 1925, in Brewer, Maine, Louise was the daughter of Grace and Harry Homstead, who managed hotels throughout Maine in the 1930s and ’40s. Orphaned young, she was raised by family while her father worked as a cook. She graduated from Orono High School in 1942 and attended Farmington Teacher’s College, teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Moscow, Maine.
In 1949, she married Parker Franklin Leonard, with whom she raised four children. Later, she built a career, holding numerous administrative positions at New England College in Henniker, NH, and earned a master’s degree in Women’s Studies from Dartmouth at age 57. In 1987, she remarried, enjoying several years with Mac McKinney between Englewood, Florida and Blind River, Ontario.
Louise was affectionately known to many as the “Queen Mother” during the 2020 lockdown, captivating family and friends online with her elegance, wit, and always on point nail polish.
She is survived by her four children and spouses: Carol Leonard (husband Tom Lajoie) of Ellsworth, ME; Wendy Hayes (husband Jim Hayes) of Strafford, NH; David Leonard (wife Amy Leonard) of Nashville, TN; and Dan Leonard (wife Susan Leonard) of Annapolis, MD, as well as seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
A Celebration of Life will be held on February 1, 2025, at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Ellsworth, Maine. A second celebration for her New Hampshire friends and family will be held at Bow Lake in Strafford on June 21.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Louise McKinney’s memory can be directed to Northern Light Hospice Care https://northernlighthealth.org/giveBHH
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Louise Mckinney, please visit our flower store.
Born on February 3, 1925, in Brewer, Maine, Louise was the daughter of Grace and Harry Homstead, who managed hotels throughout Maine in the 1930s and ’40s. Orphaned young, she was raised by family while her father worked as a cook. She graduated from Orono High School in 1942 and attended Farmington Teacher’s College, teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Moscow, Maine.
In 1949, she married Parker Franklin Leonard, with whom she raised four children. Later, she built a career, holding numerous administrative positions at New England College in Henniker, NH, and earned a master’s degree in Women’s Studies from Dartmouth at age 57. In 1987, she remarried, enjoying several years with Mac McKinney between Englewood, Florida and Blind River, Ontario.
Louise was affectionately known to many as the “Queen Mother” during the 2020 lockdown, captivating family and friends online with her elegance, wit, and always on point nail polish.
She is survived by her four children and spouses: Carol Leonard (husband Tom Lajoie) of Ellsworth, ME; Wendy Hayes (husband Jim Hayes) of Strafford, NH; David Leonard (wife Amy Leonard) of Nashville, TN; and Dan Leonard (wife Susan Leonard) of Annapolis, MD, as well as seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
A Celebration of Life will be held on February 1, 2025, at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Ellsworth, Maine. A second celebration for her New Hampshire friends and family will be held at Bow Lake in Strafford on June 21.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Louise McKinney’s memory can be directed to Northern Light Hospice Care https://northernlighthealth.org/giveBHH
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