Son of Mary J. Strickler & George M. Leader

The following was contributed by Audrey Lerew on May 10, 2013:

York Daily Record (PA)
Tuesday, February 4, 2003

Deceased Name: Obituary: Frederick M. Leader

WELLSVILLE-Fred Leader, 53, died Saturday, February 1, 2003 at Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, after a brief illness. Born August 11, 1949, in Dover, Mr. Leader was the son of Mary Jane Strickler Leader and George M. Leader, former Pennsylvania Governor from 1955-59, and devoted husband of Anne Gardner Leader. He is also survived by two brothers, Michael and David, a sister, Jane Janeczek, and eleven nieces and nephews. Although blind since birth, Mr. Leader enjoyed a diverse professional and recreational life. He graduated from Swarthmore College, earning honors in both Mathematics and Economics, and a varsity letter in wrestling. Following graduation, he purchased a 15-speed tandem bicycle and persuaded his brothers to join him in a cross-country bike trip. With his wife as ‘captain,‘ he was able to remain an avid biker for the remainder of his life, with a membership in the Harrisburg Bicycle Club. In 1971, using a machine that converted the code on 80 column punch cards into Braille, Mr. Leader embarked on a career as a systems analyst and computer programmer with the United States Department of the Navy. He enjoyed a career with the Department in Arlington, VA, and Mechanicsburg, PA, and was a recipient of its civilian ‘Handicapped Employee of the Year‘ award. Concurrent with his professional work in computers, Mr. Leader and his wife managed a 100-acre farm in Wellsville for 23 years, breeding prize-winning goats, developing a large Christmas tree farm and raising beef cattle. Despite his physical challenges, he was an avid outdoorsman who loved nature and animals. In 1999, Mr. Leader retired as a result of kidney disease. His luck changed when a good friend offered him a kidney for transplant, which allowed him to resume many of his beloved activities for the remainder of his life. Some of these pursuits included presidency and legislative chairmanship of the Capital Chapter of the National Federation for the Blind of Pennsylvania, Board Membership of Country Meadows Retirement Communities, Board Membership of the Central Pennsylvania Kidney Foundation and achieving the FCC ‘Extra License,‘ the top ham radio licensure certification. A viewing will be held at the Cocklin Funeral Home, 30 North Chestnut Street, Dillsburg, on Thursday from 5 till 8 p.m. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Garden Terrace Ballroom of Hotel Hershey in Hershey on Friday at 10 a.m. Contributions may be made to the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania, 42 South 15th Street, Suite 222, Philadelphia, PA 19102-2206 or to the Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania, 4813 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109