Howard L. LeRoy

Howard Lester LeRoy, age 86, of Cincinnati, OH, passed away on October 1, 2026 after a four-month battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He wrote his own obituary before he passed:

Howard was born April 4, 1940, in Pittsburgh, PA to Charles H. and Sara (Strohm) LeRoy. He graduated from Aspinwall High School, earned a BS degree from Waynesburg College (PA) and an MBA from Western New England University (MA). After college, he graduated from Officers Training School and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Air Force in 1963 where he became a B-52 navigator. He married Nancy L. Brethauer of Pittsburgh in 1964 and lived in five states during his Air Force career. Howard was a Vietnam veteran and served 26 months in Southeast Asia where he flew 280 combat missions and earned five Distinguished Flying Crosses. He retired from the Air Force in 1984 in California and worked for Northrop Corp, Litton Guidance Corp and eventually as the maintenance manager for San Bernardino County, CA schools before he fully retired in 2005. He loved living in California 39 years before moving to Cincinnati to be closer to family.

Howard and his wife Nancy had two sons, Jeff, who graduated from West Point and was a colonel in the U.S. Army and David, who graduated from the Air Force Academy and was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Howard and Nancy loved to travel, visiting 63 countries as well as all 50 states. They started their sons traveling early with multi-week road trips during vacations to national parks and scenic locations.

About six months after Nancy passed away, Howard met his second love and travel partner, Marilyn Jacobs. Howard and Marilyn continued to travel, including to Antarctica, Howard’s seventh continent. They had many trips around the country and world for four years before Howard became ill.

Howard had a great sense of humor and never met a stranger. He was a true patriot who, along with travel, enjoyed photography, baseball, military football games, golf and air shows. Howard was very proud of his sons and, when they were young, he assisted with scouts and soccer. He loved life, travel, good music, but most of all he loved his family and friends. He dreamed big dreams, especially of vacation trips and his sons’ future. He was proud of his name and heritage. He did not want his passing to be somber, dark or dreary.

Howard is survived by his sons Jeff (& Jamie) of Missoula, MT and David (& Elizabeth) of Vacaville, CA, his brother David (& Julie) of Annapolis, MD and five amazing grandchildren. There will be a viewing at Thomas-Justin Memorial, 7500 Montgomery Road in Cincinnati, OH from 4-6pm on Friday, November 13 with a service at Madeira-Silverwood Presbyterian Church at 9am the next day, Saturday November 14. Howard will be interned at Laurel Memorial Gardens Cemetery after the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation to help fight Leukemia, the horrible disease that took Howard’s life, at Blood Cancer United.