Pittsfield, NH – Marion Eugenie Leacock Lenaerts, 91, of Pittsfield, passed away on December 26, 2025 at The Courville in Manchester, NH after a period of declining health. Marion was born in Manhattan on June 12, 1934, the only child of the late Renola Eugenie (Murphy) and Carlyle Nugent Leacock, who were immigrants from Trinidad. Marion was raised in Queens, NY, and graduated from Hunter High School and received a B.A. from Hunter College in 1956. She held lifelong friendships with several people from grammar school.
Marion began her adult life working at Macy’s in New York City. In October of 1958, while on a date with someone else, she met (the more interesting) John Lenaerts at the White Horse Tavern. A courtship ensued, and they were married on Valentine’s Day in 1959. Marion and John had two children, David Christopher born in 1960 and Victoria Eugenie in 1962. Marion and John raised their children in Melville, NY on Long Island.
In 1972, Marion and her good friend Gloria Jackier opened the Artisan House in Northport, NY, which is still there, but in a different form. Marion was always creative and involved in one or another craft project and was particularly talented at macrame and quilting. She also played tennis and volleyball in Melville.
In 1968, the family started a summer vacation tradition at the Glen & Glade campground on Jenness Pond in Northwood, NH. When John retired in 1986, they purchased an antique house and barn down the street from the Glen & Glade and transformed the barn into a unique, hand-crafted retirement home. John became involved in the Pittsfield community, and Marion was part of local quilting and bridge clubs. Her quilts were exhibited several times at the Capital Quilters Guild show in Concord. Marion worked part time at McQuade’s in Concord and helped create sets and costumes for local theater groups. She and John regularly collected antiques, and for many years Marion had a booth and worked at Parker French in Northwood.
Marion was predeceased by her parents and husband. John passed away in 2013 and they enjoyed 54 years of marriage. Marion leaves her children, David “Christopher” Lenaerts (Andrea) of Buckland MA and Vicky Crespo of Oneonta NY, along with three cherished granddaughters, Kyla Coddington (Michael), Brianna Crespo, and Ursula Lenaerts; and two great-grandchildren Kamdyn and Kaleb Coddington. Marion was a social person and left behind many good friends and nieces and nephews. Marion’s family will also be forever grateful to her good friend, Rich Mechaber, who was like a son to Marion and John.
A memorial service with light refreshments will be held at a date to be determined in the spring of 2026 at the Roan Family Funeral Home, Still Oaks Chapel, 1217 Suncook Valley Highway in Epsom, NH. To share a memory or offer a condolence please visit www.roanfamilyfuneral.com
Click here to sign the guest book or honor their memory with flowers, donations, or other heartfelt tributes