(Attorney) Robert J. Leader, of Cocoa Beach, Florida, and formerly of Gouverneur, New York, passed away peacefully on July 4th , 2025 at home. Although he endured multiple health hardships near the end of his life, he continued to show strength of heart, faith and will -qualities which also defined his life.
Calling hours will be at Frary Funeral Home, located at 33 Park Street, Gouverneur, NY 13642, on Sunday, July 13 from 2 - 4 pm. The funeral will be held at St. James Catholic Church, located at 164 E. Main Street, Gouverneur, NY 13642, on Monday, July 14 th at 10 am, with the burial immediately following at Riverside Cemetery on Route 58 in Gouverneur.
Bob is survived by 4 of his 5 children, Henry (Dayna) Leader, Catherine (John) Piombino, Thomas (Kimberly) Leader, and Edward, as well as16 grandchildren (Zachary Leader, Joy Leader, Grace (Michael) Bobak, Robert (Maggie) Leader, William Leader, Hope Leader, Faith Leader, John Michael Leader, Matthew Piombino, Philip Piombino, James (Laura) Piombino, Kayla (Chris) Travis, Megan Leader, Abigail Leader, Henry Douglas Leader, and Franklin Leader, and 9 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his long-time partner, Sandra Trudeau, of Cocoa Beach, Florida, who cared for him through many health struggles.
Bob was predeceased by his wife, Nancy (Bruce) Leader, his son, William J. Leader, a Clarkson graduate, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who died on May 26, 2011, and daughter-in-law Angela (Stallard) Leader.
Bob was born on October 14, 1933 in Syracuse, New York, the son of Henry J. and Dorothy (Schad) Leader. He graduated with honors from Albany High School in 1951, and thereafter from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Syracuse University’s College of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree.
He served on active duty in the United States Air Force for three years, rising to the rank of Captain, with tours of duty throughout southeast Asia. Upon his graduation from Syracuse Law School, he was associated with Ferris, Hughes, Dorrance and Groben, Utica, New York, until April, 1964, when he opened a law office in Gouverneur, New York with Edward H. Cole, Esq.
On January 1, 1966, he became a partner in Case & Leader.
Bob married Nancy Bruce on September 23, 1960 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Syracuse, New York, with Monsignor Champion officiating. Nancy passed on June 23, 1998. On October 14, 2000, he married Diane Finn Platt at St. James Church, Gouverneur, New York, with Reverand Gerald Service officiating. Diane passed on April 22, 2002. He married Julia Mitchell Smith on November 26, 2004. She passed on November 6, 2007.
Bob served for 6 ½ years as chief trial Assistant District Attorney of Saint Lawrence County, was attorney for many towns, villages and school districts in Saint Lawrence County, and was a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, and St. Lawrence County Bar Association. He was selected to be a member of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Tax and Domestic Relations, New York State Bar Committee on Trial Practice, and the New York State Committee on Real Property Taxation. He was a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association.
While with Ferris Hughes Dorrance and Groben in Utica, he taught Business Law at Mohawk Valley Community College. He formerly served as a member of the nominating committee of the St. Lawrence County Bar and has had a number of cases published.
He was very active in community affairs in the almost 50 years that he has been a resident of the Village of Gouverneur. He was most proud of having worked for a number of years with other members of the Gouverneur Pool Association, whose members initiated the development of the basketball court, ice hockey rink, and baseball field.
Bob was a long-time member of the Gouverneur Rotary Club; a Trustee and past Chairman of the Board of Edward John Noble Hospital; a member and past President of Gouverneur Nursing Home Company, Inc.; a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gouverneur Reading Room Association; Secretary of North Country Hospitals; a member of Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization; past President of both the Gouverneur Development Corporation and Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce; member of the St. Lawrence National Bank Advisory Board; and a Director of the Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association for 25 years. Bob’s father, the late Henry J. Leader, was a preeminent Pulitzer-prize winning Associated Press political reporter in the 1940s and 1950s until he became an intern and White House correspondent for Gannett and thereafter an editor for the Plainville Courier News, Nathan New Jersey Courier News, and publisher of the Utica Newspapers.
Bob was intelligent, generous, kind, strong, and loving, and he had an immeasurable impact on many, many, people, most especially his family. His memory will forever be cherished. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. James Catholic Church in his name: https://oswegatchiecatholics.org/.
Online condolences may be shared with Bob’s family at www.fraryfuneralhome.com.