Leonard A. Corona, Sr.

Leonard Corona, Sr., 97, of Smithfield, OH, passed away January 11, 2023, at his home.

Leonard was born on May 7, 1925, in Bradley, OH.  The only child of the late Mary and Orlando Corona.  He was a Catholic by faith, being a member of the former Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Smithfield.  

Leonard graduated from Smithfield High School in 1943 and started working the next day with the Engineering Dept. of the U.S. Coal Co. in Bradley.  In September of that same year, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps serving his country during WWII as a crew member of a B-29 photo recon group. 

After the war, he returned to his job with the Engineering Dept. of Hanna Coal Co.  Working as an aerial photographer, he spent the next 30 years mapping the coal lands belonging to Hanna and Consol throughout nine states.  By retirement, Leonard had accumulated over 6,000 hours in the air and almost 80,000 aerial photos.  

He received a plaque in May 2015 from the Dillonvale American Legion Post 529 and a letter from Senator Lou Gentile congratulating him for being a member of the American Legion for over 70 years.  He was a member until his death. 

His passion was flying.  He demonstrated this through a lifetime of building and flying model airplanes.  He also enjoyed music, especially the big bands era, having an extensive record and tape collection.  He played clarinet in the Smithfield High School Band and Orchestra and in several Air Corps marching bands during WWII. 

Leonard married his late wife Dorothy (Klan) Corona on April 3, 1948.  They were married over 70 years.  They had six children: Bonita (Loren) Neely, Cynthia Stromeyer (Jim Morse), Leonard Jr. (Rhonda), Keith (preceded in death), Timothy (Daphne), and Kevin (Melissa). They had ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.  The family would like to especially thank his three guardian angels, Vickie, Rose, and Michelle.

A memorial visitation will be held Sunday, Jan. 22 from 3 pm to 7 pm at the J.E. Foster Funeral Home in Smithfield. Military Honors will be presented by the Dillonvale American Legion Sunday evening at 7 pm.

A memorial Mass will be held Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 11 am at St. Adalbert Catholic Church in Dillonvale. Msgr. John Kolesar will celebrate, and inurnment will follow in the Northern Cemetery in Smithfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dillonvale American Legion or Valley Hospice.