Ralph H. Leone

Ralph H. Leone, 77 of Independence Drive, Freedom, died May 10, 2006, at Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro.He was born in New London on August 25, 1928, son of the late Elfreda (Sullivan) and Ralph Leone Sr., and was raised in Newport by his mother and stepfather Lincoln Frost.Mr. Leone attended Newport schools, leaving in his junior year to join the Navy. As World War II came to an end a few months later, his ship was among a fleet that visited ports in Europe and North Africa on the United States' first goodwill tour since the start of the war. Later he played baseball with the Atlantic Fleet Team.He returned to school and graduated with the class of 1949 from Towle High School and attended Roberts Technical Trade School in Boston.He worked as a Millwright and welder for Goodyear in Windsor, Vt., Claremont Paper and Ingersoll Rand in Nashua. In Newport, he was a little league coach, and in Derry, he was active in town politics.In 1985, he and his wife retired to Freedom, where they had camped seasonally for many years.He is survived by his wife of 54 years Janet (Dodge) Leone of Freedom, daughters Ann Cusano of Peterboro, Gay Brearley and her husband Barry of Deerfield, Lyn Leone and her husband John Silvia of Castro Valley, Calif., a son, Lincoln Leone, and his wife Angela of Derry, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and two brothers, Richard Leone of Sunapee and Ronald Leone of Grantham.Memorial calling hours will be 1 to 3 p.m. on Monday, May 15, 2006, at the Baker-Gagne Funeral Home and Cremation Service Route 16, West Ossipee.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Freedom Rescue Squad.For more information and directions, go to www.baker-gagnefuneralhomes.com.