February 2, 1933 – February 21, 2025
Allegany, NY Richard A. Leone M.D. passed away Friday (February 21, 2025) at his home in Allegany.
Born February 2, 1933 at the former U.S. Army Hospital, Fort Totten, New York City, he was the son of Colonel George E. and Martha Bellanca Leone M.D. On February 7, 1959 in Buffalo, he married Sally Jane Rockwood who predeceased him August 11, 2016.
As the child of a military family, he resided at Fort Jay on Governors Island, the U.S. Army Philippines from 1935 to 1938, Lewiston, NY from 1938 to 1943, Dunkirk, NY from 1943 to 1949, and Fort Meade in Maryland from 1949 to 1951. Dr. Leone graduated from Harvard College in 1955 and the SUNY Buffalo Medical School in 1959. He joined the Army and served his internship at Walter Reed Hospital. From 1960 to 1963 he was an Army Medical Corps Captain assigned to the 7th Army and United States Army Europe (USAEUR) in Germany.
He completed a residency in Dermatology at Buffalo General Hospital and Erie County Medical Center and was certified by the American Board of Dermatology in 1968. He joined the Olean Medical Group in 1966 as the number 16th physician. As chairman of the Executive and Building Committees, he was active in the planning for the present Group Building adjacent to the Olean General Hospital.
He served terms as Chief of Medicine at Olean General Hospital and as president of the medical staff at the former St. Francis Hospital. He was also the dermatology consultant at Gowanda State Hospital and operated a clinic there. In 1968, Dr. Leone was one of the first clinicians to report, in the American Medical Association Journal, a case of radiodermatitis from exposure to radioactive gold.
He was a member of the AMA, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Buffalo-Rochester Dermatology Society. He was a silver life master in the American Contract Bridge League and was a certified club director and continued to play into his retirement.
He is survived by his daughter, Sherianne (Morris Suttles) Leone of West Clarksville. Friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated Saturday (March 1, 2025) at 1pm at St. Bonaventure Church. Pastor Chris Emminger will be the celebrant.
Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, with full military honors being accorded by the Allegany American Legion Ritual Team.
Remembrance donations may be made to St. Bonaventure Church, 95 E. Main St., Allegany, NY 14706.
