Mary Eileen Leonard

Mary Eileen Leonard, an iconic figure in Charleston medicine, passed away on November 19, 2016 at the age of 91. The relatives and friends of Mary Eileen are invited to attend her Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM, Saturday, November 26, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  The Rite of Committal will follow at St. Lawrence Cemetery, 60 Huguenin Ave.  The family will receive friends Friday evening from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM with a Vigil Service at 6:30 PM at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Hwy.  Mary Eileen was born January 9, 1925 in Charleston, the daughter of the late Edward A. and Nonie Price Leonard, and sister to the late Edward Leonard, Jr.  She graduated from Bishop England High School in 1941, and later from Barry College, The College of Charleston, and MUSC.  She worked at MUSC for 33 years and Roper Hospital for 22 years in the Clinical Laboratory Departments, while also serving as a faculty member of the MUSC College of Medicine.  Mary was very active in numerous medical organizations and helped obtain the charter for South Carolina Society of Medical Technologists in 1952. Mary Eileen was devoted to her alma maters and they, in turn, honored her as the 1993 MUSC College of Health Professionals Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, and the 2001 College Of Charleston Alumnus of the Year.  She was also active in religious and community organizations as a member of the Charleston Civitan Club, as a Lay Associate of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy, and as a member of her beloved Sacred Heart Church. Mary Eileen, with her deep Charleston brogue and hearty laugh, was a master storyteller and historian with an uncanny ability to recall long-ago events and conversations – whether about genealogy, her travels, her christening a ship at the naval base, or the “flying dog” that escaped from her lab.  Mary is survived by too many cousins to name.  Perhaps more importantly, she is remembered by legions of physicians, nurses and other health care providers who knew her as a strong, pioneering woman who led them through many advancements in medicine.  Having modeled her drive for excellence and deep compassion, Mary, through her students, will continue to touch countless lives for years to come.  Mary Eileen never had children of her own, but she had the biggest family in town. Flowers are accepted or memorial donations may be made to Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy, PO Box 12410, Charleston, SC 29422, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 888 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403, or Bishop England High School Endowment, 363 Seven Farms Drive, Charleston, SC 29492.