Marilyn L. Leonard, age 78, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 22, 2012, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. She was born February 2, 1934, in Mount Pulaski to Clarence and Dorothy (Shoup) Romer. She grew up in Mount Pulaski and Niantic and spent summers with her uncle and aunt, Robert "Breck" and Margaret Breckenridge, in Polo. Marilyn graduated from Niantic High School, where she met James C. Leonard. She married him on July 2, 1952. They raised three sons and two daughters, built a farm and became active members of the Illiopolis and Niantic communities. She enjoyed playing cards, crocheting, knitting and always having a cat in the house, earning her the nickname "Grandma Kitty." Marilyn was an avid sports fan, rooting for her children's and grandchildren's teams, as well as the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Bulls. She especially cherished time with her family and was able to see six grandsons grow into young men. During retirement, Marilyn and James spent part of the year at their home in Bonita Springs, Fla. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Dorothy (Shoup) Romer, and aunts, Mildred Shoup and Margaret Breckenridge. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, James C. Leonard of Niantic; five children, Stephen (Jill) Leonard of Niantic, Mark (Colleen) Leon-ard of Woodstock, Ronald (Sally Geyston) Leonard of Illiopolis, Janet (Craig) Kararo of Springfield and Judith (David) Gray of Decatur; and six grandchildren, Sean Leon-ard, Ryan Leonard, Timothy Leonard, Eric Leonard, Alexander Kararo and Evan Kararo. Visitation: Family will re-ceive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at Fullenwider-Park Funeral Home, 432 Seventh St., Illiopolis. Funeral ceremony: 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, at Fullenwider-Park Funeral Home, 432 Seventh St., Illiopolis. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Illiopolis Public Library and the Illiopolis Food Pantry at the Illiopolis Christian Church.