Leonard J. Dixon, 90, of Moosic, passed away Friday, July 1, 2022, in Regional Hospital of Scranton, surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Wyoming on August 7, 1931, he was the son of the late John and Suzanne Gratzula Dziedzic.
Leonard was a graduate of Wyoming High School and proudly served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1955 during the Korean War. He trained as a Radio Repairman and was stationed at various airbases in the U.S. and on Islands off the coast of South Korea, tasked with helping to guide B-29 aircraft. Leonard achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and was the recipient of multiple awards including the Good Conduct Medal and several service medals.
He attended Wilkes College on the GI Bill and received an Associate’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. During college, Leonard met his future wife Carmella Insalaco, who was also pursuing a degree at Wilkes.
They married in 1961 and moved to Lancaster, PA where Leonard accepted a position with RCA. When a promotion in 1967 arose to transfer to the RCA plant in Dunmore, it was a welcomed opportunity as they had wanted to return to the Wyoming Valley.
Leonard worked as a Standard Cost Administrator at RCA until 1971, when he joined his brothers-in-law in the Insalaco grocery business as a co-owner. He and the late Leonard Insalaco managed the Old Forge location, and he enjoyed working on the store level. His responsibilities continued to increase as the company expanded, and he eventually moved to the Corporate Office, where he worked until his retirement.
Retirement offered Leonard the opportunity to pursue many of his interests. He was an avid hunter traveling to locations in Wyoming, Montana, and Nova Scotia to hunt deer, antelope, and moose, and enjoyed fishing in Pennsylvania and Florida. His hobbies also included painting and woodcarving. He and Carmella traveled the U.S. and Europe, with family and friends, and a notable experience was vacating in Chili when the Chilian Earthquake of 2010 occurred.
Leonard was known as a very caring man who loved his wife, daughters, son-in-law, and three grandchildren. He was generous not only to family but also to others, and he was involved in many charitable organizations. In 2017, he was named to the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonials, a voluntary philanthropic society, by Governor Matt Bevin. Leonard valued his Roman Catholic faith; he prayed the Rosary, participated in devotions, and volunteered his time at every church of which he was a member.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Edmund and Karl Dziedzic; sister, Eleanor Kitlas; and nephews, John and Joseph Kitlas.
Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Carmella Insalaco Dixon; daughters, Susan M. Dixon, Wilmington, DE and Donna L. Soares and her husband Jeffrey M. Soares, Frederick, MD; grandchildren, Nicholas, Julia and Daniel Soares; brothers-in-law, Michael Insalaco and his wife Dolores, Moosic; Sandy Insalaco and his wife the late Marlene, Laflin; Vincent Insalaco and his wife Corinne, Shavertown; and Norbert Katarsky and his wife the late Providence; sisters-in-law, Theresa Burke and her husband the late John Burke, Jenkins Township; Grace Dvornicky and her husband Joseph, Laflin; and Lita Insalaco and her husband the late Leonard, Jenkins Township; numerous nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends and relatives Tuesday, July 5, 2022, from 4:00pm-7:00pm in Adonizio Funeral Home, LLC, 251 William Street, Pittston. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at 10:30am in Divine Mercy Parish, 312 Davis Street, Scranton. Those attending are asked to go directly to church. Interment will follow in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Carverton.