Leonard Parent

ST. ALBANS - Leonard Parent died quietly at home on Monday, September 16, 2024, of a broken heart. He leaves his two children L.J. Parent and Erikalynn Romweber and their spouses (Emily Parent and John Romweber) behind to wonder how they will manage without his counsel on matters big and small.

His 6 grandchildren (Posie, Erma, Julie and Rita Romweber and Isabelle and Alexander Parent) called this bearded patriarch with a booming voice, Baba. Baba's advice about firm handshakes, social media, tattoos and understanding history were freely given. Some of his grandchildren liked to argue with him. Baba never shied away from an argument and loved the banter.

Leonard Parent was a Saint Albans personality. His kids will attest that it took an average of 23 overtime minutes to leave any public space because he loved to engage with everyone he knew, and there were times it seemed he knew everyone.

He was born on July 29th, 1949, at Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, VT, and his first language was sports. He listened as a child to the Milwaukee Braves on the radio and fell hard for the voices of Earl Gillespie and Blaine Walsh. I'm sure our grandparents, Lionel L. Parent and Freida L. (Larivee) Parent, were not surprised when he was promoted from paper boy in Richford, where he attended 1st -11th grades, to sports reporter and photographer for the local Enosburg paper as a senior at Enosburg High School, where he was given a press pass to cover major league sporting events in Montreal.

He was the younger of 2 brothers and admitted to being spoiled by his mother who worked hard to afford two luxuries for a West Berkshire farm boy in the 50's: Orthodontia and Little League. Baba was predeceased by "Uncle Lee" (Lionel Parent and his wife Carol (McGinnis) Parent). Uncle Lee didn't get to play Little League, left the farm for the Navy at a suspicious early age and sent young Leonard his first baseball mitt.

Leonard joined the United States Air Force upon graduation from Enosburg Falls High School in 1967 and served four years, spending the majority of that time between Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. and Vietnam.

After the Air Force he worked several years as a reporter/photographer for the St. Albans Messenger daily evening newspaper and as a radio personality and DJ for the local radio stations WWSR/WLFE in St. Albans. He hosted a noontime talk show called, "Comment" and much to his children's delight, announced snow days on the morning show. The Berkshire Bandit was a natural at handling both a microphone and a camera, sometimes doing both at the same time.

He left the radio business around 1990 to focus full time on "Parent's Photo", his part-time photography business specializing in weddings and family photos up until then. Within a few years Parent's Photo was responsible for nearly every school photo in Franklin County as well as some in Chittenden County. This was a busy undertaking for a business that never had more than one full-time employee, but he flourished in it and enjoyed the challenge. You cannot throw a maple candy in Saint Albans without hitting someone who has had their picture taken by our dad and recalls him saying, "Just one more!"

Leonard had many passions in addition to photography and news media. One of the biggest was his love of playing golf with his countless comrades at Champlain Country Club, where he was a continuous member since the mid 1970's playing 100+ rounds of golf nearly every year.

It would be hard to find a more passionate or knowledgeable sports fan than Leonard. He was busy all year following the Braves, NY Giants, and Blackhawks. As much as he enjoyed following his favorite professional teams, he loved covering and capturing the local sports scene as well. He did this both professionally as a photographer, radio announcer, and umpire, as well as just a fan of the athletes themselves.

He had an iconic voice that got louder as he aged, but he was always soft of heart. Although he believed strongly in the idea of picking yourself up by your own bootstraps, he also picked up hitchhikers and emptied his pockets to strangers in need of a handout. He believed in being yourself and was unafraid to push the boundaries of fashion with golfing knickers, Hawaiian shirts and so many hats!

Despite that previously mentioned press pass and dark good looks, he had few dates. He told us the story of the fateful night when he met our mom. After a date, he mysteriously described as "botched," he was cheered to hear a party going on near his parents' place in Enosburg. Our fun-loving mom was home from boarding school and bewitched Baba. Lenny and Legs, as the pair was called, will be missed by our aunts and uncles, some of whom were at that party the night they met. Parties are still regularly held by this crew. Left to continue the laughs are Robert Parent (Diane), Patricia Keefe (James), David Parent (Susan), Alan Parent, Denise Messier (Gale), Gloria Parent, Norman Parent (Pamela), Rene Parent (Melissa), Marcel Parent (Betsey), Martha Magnant (Timothy), and Gisele Stimpson. The 500-card table will surely miss Lenny and Legs. How grateful we are to have so many wonderful (and colorful) aunts and uncles to laugh and cry with.

Our dad said he had one piano lesson, after which the teacher told his parents to not waste their money, but he continued to love music and saw several concerts in his last year of his life with our mom in Florida, where they spent their 4th winter together.

Our dad thought the George Jones song, He Stopped Loving Her Today, was the greatest love song ever written.

He stopped loving her today. They placed a wreath upon his door. And soon they'll carry him away. He stopped loving her today.

At the end of his life, he couldn't go on without our mother, who died 2 months ago. We will always love you mom and dad. May you rest well together.

Leonard Parent will be buried with his wife of 49 years in Enosburg at a private family ceremony. The family plans a memorial for all who have a story to share when skies are bluer.

Condolences, photos and favorite memories may be shared through www.gossfs.com