Manchester– On May 28, 2015, the Reverend Leo G. Gagnon was called to his rest and to the glory of the Resurrection promised by the Lord. He was 71 years old.
Father Gagnon was born on February 3, 1944 in Manchester, NH and was ordained a priest on May 20, 1972 by Most Reverend Ernest J. Primeau, S.T.D. at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Father Gagnon studied at Providence College, Providence RI.; Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH; Niagara University. Niagara, NY., and then he completed his ecclesiastical studies at Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Albany, NY.
Father Gagnon served as associate pastor of St. Martin Parish, Somersworth; Saint Edmond Parish, Manchester; Saint Anthony Parish; Manchester; Saint Joseph The Worker Parish, Nashua; Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, Derry; and Saint John the Baptist Parish, Suncook.
Father Gagnon was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Greenville; Immaculate Conception Parish, Portsmouth; Administrator of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Newton. He was later named pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Newton. Poor health forced him to resign his pastorate and on July 1, 2003 he retired from active ministry.
Family members include his sister, Annette Lang of Richmond, VA., his nephew, Matthew Lang and his wife, Maura of Mobile, AL., his niece, Kimberly Lang of Richmond, VA, and 3 grand nieces, Santanna, Ellena, and Erinne.
He was predeceased by his brother in law, Joseph Lang on October 3, 2013.
On Monday, June 1, 2015, Father Gagnon will lie in state at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester from 9 AM to 10:45 AM. The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, will preside at a mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM. The Rite of Committal will be celebrated later that afternoon at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Manchester, NH.
The J. N. Boufford & Sons Funeral Home of Manchester NH has care of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Diocesan Seminarians Fund, 153 Ash St., Manchester, NH 03105-0310.