Mary Cecile Leedom

Mary Cecile Leedom, 82, of Burlington, NJ passed away on March 22, 2023. Ceil was born on October 5, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland to Thelma and Jesse Coop. Ceil graduated from Juniata College in 1961 shortly after her marriage to Marvin Leedom at the Willow Grove Methodist Church. Ceil and Marvin lived in Warminster, PA and later Princeton, NJ while raising their children David, James, Kenneth, and Karen. Later Ceil went on to receive a Masters Degree in Library Science from Rutgers University in 1984. Ceil believed that "...each person has a contribution to make. Most of us are concerned with our immediate world, but a historian usually takes a longer look at the past, present and future," and she was a historian. She used her education to play a key role in her local community's mission to help future generations understand their heritage. Ceil worked and later volunteered at the South Brunswick Public Library as a reference librarian for over 30 years, maintaining their local history archives. She was twice awarded the New Jersey Library Association Service Award. She also led or was a member of multiple historical societies and initiatives including the South Brunswick Historic Preservation Commission, Historic Preservation Ordinance Advisory Task Force, Kingston Historical Society, and Dayton Village Citizens Coalition. For her dedication to South Brunswick, the history room at the library was named in Ceil's honor on Dec. 2, 2017. Music and dance have also been her joy throughout her life, from tap dancing, ballet and flamenco, the latter of which she continued into her 70s. Ceil shared her love of piano with her children and grandchildren and we will be forever saddened not to hear her play one more time. Ceil is survived by her children David Leedom, James (Kathy) Leedom, Kenneth (Charlotte) Leedom, Karen (Craig) Chaney and 6 grandchildren, Andrew Leedom, Matthew Leedom, Nathan Leedom, Maya Leedom, Thomas Chaney and Peter Chaney. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thelma and Jesse Coop, and her sister Mildred Thomas.