Thursday, 19 January 2023 14:07

Ellen Gilbert Leonard

Ellen_Gilbert_Leonard.jpg

Dear Ellen, how we will miss you, your warm beautiful smile, your incredible grace. Let me count the ways: musician, teacher, mentor, performer, collaborator, dancer, community organizer, leader, adventurer, dreamer, mother, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend.

On November 29, 2022, Ellen Leonard 61, passed peacefully in her East Montpelier, VT home, held by her family and friends in love and song.

She was born in 1961 to Webb Leonard and Betty McGee in Belleville, NJ. The youngest of four children, she attended elementary and middle school in Saratoga Springs, and the Vershire School in Vermont. She graduated from Skidmore College. 

Throughout the 1980’s and 90’s, Ellen taught music, singing, and almost any instrument, in Central Vermont schools. Ellen also taught private music lessons and MusicTogether to families with children ages infants to 5 years.

In 1999 Ellen opened the AllTogetherNow! Preschool, now a five-star school. For over 30 years, AllTogetherNow! was a place of celebration and creative learning that planted the seeds of song and spirit in generations of Central Vermont children. 

Ellen always found a way to break free. There was a horse, then a motorcycle. When she turned 50, she traveled alone around Europe on a motorcycle and for the past 10 years, she has kept a sailboat moored ready to go on Lake Champlain. In 2016 she travelled to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to participate in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Guided by her dreams, she worked for many decades with North of Eden Archetypal Dreamwork, co-facilitating workshops in this country and abroad.

She is survived by her children: Aaron Jones and partner Rachel Houseman, Santa Fe NM; Sophia LaPaglia and fiancé Andy Cofino, Los Angeles, CA; Aliza LaPaglia; her sister Dr. Randi Leonard Holmes and brother-in-law Dr. Doug Holmes, Raleigh, NC; sister Leigh Leonard Stallings, Saratoga Springs; brother Mark Leonard and sister-in-law Ginger Leonard, Princeton, NJ; her stepsisters, Heather Lund and Holly Ingersoll, St. Paul, MN, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles across the country, and her beloved dog Lily.

She was predeceased by her birth parents, as well as her stepmother, Joan Leonard and stepfather, retired Skidmore professor, Dr. Philip West. She was also predeceased by her brother Justin. 

Relatives and friends gathered to remember Ellen on December 2 in East Calais, VT. She was laid to rest in the Robinson Cemetery. 

Read 553 times

Blotter

  • New York State Police The New York State Police announced that it issued 5,576 tickets during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day enforcement initiative. The campaign began on Friday, March 15, and continued until Sunday, March 17. During the campaign, funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and underage drinking and sales to minors detail. State Police also ticketed distracted drivers who use handheld electronic devices. State Troopers arrested 132 people for DWI and investigated 199 crashes, which resulted in 25 people being injured and no fatalities. As part of the enforcement, Troopers also…

Property Transactions

  • BALLSTON Heather DiCaprio sold property at 473 Garrett Rd to Justine Levine for $288,000 Sharon Willman sold property at 99 Jenkins Rd to Charles Lemley for $165,000 CORINTH George Montena sold property at 422 Oak St to Stephen James for $142,250 Mark Makler sold property at 313 Oak St to Sabrina Sinagra for $195,000 GREENFIELD Landlord Services of Upstate New York sold property at 1935 NYS Rt 9N to Cochise Properties LLC for $210,000 MALTA  Linda LaBarge sold property at 35 Snowberry Rd to Qu Haozheng for $270,000 Dennis Mitchell sold property at 60 Village Circle North to BGRS Relocation…
  • NYPA
  • Saratoga County Chamber
  • BBB Accredited Business
  • Discover Saratoga
  • Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association