Bangor, Maine - Jessie Barton (Wardwell) Leonard passed away peacefully on May 20, 2026, with her family at her side. She was born on Vinalhaven Island on November 22, 1933, the daughter of Harold and Viva (Wardwell) Barton.

Jessie grew up in Camden, ME, and graduated from Camden High School in 1951. After working for Tibbetts Industries in Camden, she moved to New York City, where she worked for American Airlines.

On November 24, 1955, she married Paul Leonard of Union, ME. They lived in Lynn, MA, while Paul was in the Army. In 1957 they moved to Northboro, Massachusetts when Paul accepted employment with State Mutual Life Insurance Company. In 1967, Jessie and Paul moved to Newport, ME. In 1969, they bought the Sebasticook Golf Club, which Jessie managed for 10 years.

Jessie enjoyed playing golf, cribbage and doing crossword puzzles. She took great pride attending all of the dance recitals in which her granddaughters participated and the jazz band concerts that her grandson participated in. She enjoyed cooking wonderful meals for her family, especially her grandchildren, because each grandchild had to help prepare the menu. She loved working in her flower gardens and was a past president of the Sebasticook Flower Club of Newport.

Jessie is survived by her loving husband of 70 years, Paul; her son, Christopher Leonard and his wife, Tammy, of Newport; son-in-law, David Knowles of Levant; four grandchildren, Denise Varney and her husband, Nicholas, of Levant, Stephanie Knowles and her significant other, Phillip Allard, of Port Orange, FL, Matthew Leonard and his wife, Crystle, of Houlton, and Sara Geunardi and her husband, Christopher, of Ambler, PA; five great-grandchildren, MacKenzie, Jack, Carter, Nathan, and Josie; and many nieces and nephews. Jessie was predeceased by her parents; her daughter, Nancy; her two sisters, Patricia and Erma; Erma's husband, William Folland; her brother, Ray; and her half brother, Mayland Francis Barton.

Visiting hours will be held Friday, June 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. and a service on Saturday, June 20, at 10 a.m. both at Crosby Neal Funeral Home, Newport. A committal service will follow at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday at Oak Hill Cemetery in Camden, ME. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield.

Arrangements are in the care of Crosby and Neal Funeral Home, 117 Main St., Newport, where condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at

crosbyneal.com.