Michael D. “Mike” Leone, age 78, of Dover, passed away Tuesday, September 7, 2021, in Dover’s Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital following a brief illness.
Born July 17, 1943, in Dover, he was the son of the late Louis and Josephine Ren Leone. Mike graduated from in 1961 from Dover St. Joseph High School, where he was a standout athlete. He went on to study at Miami University in Oxford, where he also played football, and later graduated from Columbus Business School. Mike married the former Jean Bailey, who survives, on September 19, 1964 – the couple would have celebrated 57 years of marriage later this month. Mike owned and operated ASAP Packaging, a specialty packing company, in Gnadenhutten for over 20 years.
He was a man of great faith and was a lifetime member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Dover. Mike was also a member of the New Philadelphia Elks Lodge and the Loyal Order of Moose, Dover.
Mike coached youth baseball for years in Dover, beginning when his son was a boy. He loved the game of baseball, teaching baseball and being at the ballfields. His Tuscarawas County All Star Pony League team traveled to New York after winning the State and Regional championships, falling just short of making the Pony League World Series in 1987.
One of the highlights of Mike’s life was meeting Bob Feller while in Arizona. He had the opportunity to get his picture taken with Bob Feller and Cy Young as a child that was printed in the newspaper. He enjoyed sharing the photo with Bob Feller some 60 years later.
Additionally, Mike was an avid sports fan who enjoyed playing golf and poker with friends.
Mike loved his family – especially his grandchildren, and family get-togethers. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Jean; his children, Catherine Tull of Canton, Susan Correll of Dover, Jeannie (Bill) Sturges of Columbus, and Mike (Stacy Donohoe) Leone also of Canton; his grandchildren, Michael and Lauren Tull, Elizabeth Watkins, Bailey Kimble, Audrey and Dominic Sturges.
Besides his parents, Mike was preceded in death by his sisters, Delores Marks, Mary Kline and Nancy Zifer.
Family and friends are invited to call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover, on Friday, September 10, 5 – 8 p.m. A Christian wake service will be conducted Friday at 7:45 p.m. in the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, September 11, at 10 a.m., in St. Joseph Church; Fr. Jimmy Hatfield will officiate. The family politely requests that everyone attending please wear a face mask and practice social distancing. Following the Mass, burial will be in St. Joseph Calvary Cemetery, Dover. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Mike, please visit the Obituaries link on the funeral home’s website.
Contributions in Mike’s memory may be made to St. Joseph Church, 613 N. Tuscarawas Ave., Dover, OH 44622.
To send flowers to the family of Michael D. “Mike” Leone please visit our Tribute Store.
Toland-Herzig Funeral Homes & Crematory
803 North Wooster Avenue
Dover, Ohio 44622
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com