Leon Samuel McCreary Jr. of West Chester

Leon Samuel McCreary Jr., 60, of West Chester, died Saturday, March 18, at the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, Md. He was the husband of Terri Bottomley McCreary, with whom he shared 36 years of marriage.

Leon Samuel McCreary Jr.

Born in Wilmington, he was the son of the late Leon Samuel McCreary Sr. and the late Catherine DiFilippo McCreary of Avondale.

Leon was a 1974 graduate of Unionville High School. While there, he excelled in basketball, was one of the star players and was captain of the varsity team. Also, an avid athlete at that school was his future wife, Terri. They attended the same school together since second grade and never really knew each other. It wasn't until after college that the two connected.

Leon attended Mansfield College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in regional planning. After college, he joined the Brandywine YMCA men's basketball league, which is where he first asked Terri out on a date.

He was a huge sports fan, but his favorite team was the Philadelphia Eagles. He dedicated every Sunday during football season to watching the games and spending time with his family. Leon was also his children's number 1 sports fan; he traveled near and far to support them from the sidelines, and every teammate and coach of theirs knew who he was.

Leon was a route salesman for Coin Caterers in Coatesville, for 13 years. He also worked for Hostess, Herr's, AVM, and Lamont Companies. Most recently he was a shuttle driver for Krapf Bus Company. Leon was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in January 2016 and fought a long, hard battle. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to complete loss of muscle movement, the ability to speak, and eventual paralysis.

In addition to his wife, Leon is survived by his children Nathan McCreary (Tracy) of Fallston, Md. and Brandy McCreary of West Chester; two sisters, Marie Malchione (Pete) and Kathleen Bard (Tony); father-in-law Charles Bottomley; brother-in-law David Bottomley (Diane); three grandchildren, Maverick, Hartley and Walker McCreary; nieces Jennifer Bottomley, Kelly McNeil, Adrienne Malchione, Nicole Allen, Katherine Maxwell, and Cassandra Gray and many aunts, uncles, cousins and many great friends.

You are invited to visit with Leon’s family and friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 23, and 10-11 a.m. Friday, March 24, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (610-444-4116) 250 W. State St. Kennett Square, PA 19348. A funeral celebrating his life will be 11 a.m. Friday. Interment will be in Longwood Cemetery. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Brigance Brigade Foundation, which aids individuals with ALS and their families as they navigate the most difficult journey of their lives. Please visit https://brigancebrigade.networkforgood.com/projects/27023-terri-mccreary-s-fundraiser?from_wicked_finish=true to make a contribution. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecocares.com

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