Evelyn Angelina Leonardo was born October 19, 1929 at her parents’ home in Table Bluff. She passed away the way she always said she wanted to go, at her house peacefully in her sleep, and with family playing cards at the dining room table.

Her parents, Joseph G. Leonardo and Mary August Borges, were both immigrants from the Azores. Her Portuguese heritage was something she was proud of. She was the Holy Ghost Festa’s big Queen in 1948, and spoke of how her mother had mailed the dress back to the Azores to be used by family members. She was a member of the UPCC and SPRIS Lodges and had bought life insurance policies for many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the SES, now P.F.S.A., so they could be members as well. She volunteered on the festas committee many times. Even this past year she assisted her sister Ione and sister-in-law Silvia in selling sweetbread and linguica at the celebration.

She grew up in Ferndale and was a lifelong member of the Assumption Catholic Church, where she was married to the love of her life, Allen Rae “Timer” Paine, on February 12, 1949. They were active in the church, with grandma even having her”pew” where she sat every week prior to COVID. Grandma was a member of the ladies’ guild and altar society for many years.

In 1950, Evelyn gave birth to her daughter Linda, soon to be followed on her birthday in 1951 with son David, and in 1953 her family was complete with the birth of Patricia. In 1955 they bought their first home on Madison Street. When the lot next door became available they bought the lot and began building her forever home. It was a family affair, with her brother-in-law Eddie Christensen as their contractor. Timer and the kids worked on the house until it was completed in 1964. Many family gatherings were held at that home from wedding receptions, Christmas Eves, baby showers and so much more.

Evelyn was known as a hard worker, she started working as a teenager doing bookkeeping at a local grocery store. She spent many years working at the Valley Grocery. She was bored with being retired, so she went to work for Larry Martin at his ice cream shop, she then moved across the street to work at Rings Pharmacy. She also volunteered with the Ferndale Senior luncheon for many years.

Even though Timer was the musician in the family, grandma loved music. They were active dancers, being members of the Jolly Time Dance Club for many years. She would turn on the radio in the mornings while she ate her breakfast. In her final days she was caught tapping her feet and waving her hands to the music we played for her.

Holidays were big family affairs, and once they outgrew the houses the Leonardo side of the family began renting halls to hold Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Evelyn was big on family and loved them so much. She made every child, grandchild and great-grandchild feel like they were her favorite. She loved when family would come over and if there were enough card players Pedro was being played. Sometimes the card table had to be set-up in the living room due to there needing to be a second game. Grandma would make everyone laugh when her team was close to winning and she would say “we’ll just slide right out.” She and Timer had played cards for years with friends and family alike.

Grandma enjoyed traveling and her and grandpa enjoyed many vacations both with friends like the Alexandres to places like Hawaii and Portugal, and to see family. Grandma even once took a train to Hanford, Calif. so she could visit her great grandchildren Brittani and Jasen.

In the early 1960s Evelyn and Timer started attending the Bear River picnics at Earl Ambrosini’s cabin. The Sweets, the Bryants, the Lorenzos all had generations of family attending those picnics.

Grandma turning 85 was hard on all of us, as that is when she decided to retire from baking. She will be forever missed for the cookie can that was always full. For many of the grandkids, the first thing that they did when walked in the house was to stop by the cookie can. It was so missed that a baking day was planned at her house by her granddaughters. That day Evelyn got to sit and play cards while overseeing her granddaughters and great-granddaughters bake cookies using her recipes. Her freezer was stocked for months.

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph G and Mary (Borges) Leonardo, her beloved husband of 48 years Allen “Timer” Paine, her in-laws Leslie Rae and Zella “Claire” (Benjamin) Paine; her siblings Joseph Leonardo, Frank Leonardo, Mary (Leonardo) Manzi, Ione (Leonardo) Franz and her infant brother Frank Leonardo; her sisters-in-law Janice (Paine) Christensen, Helen (Paine) Baldwin, Alice Gaye (Paine) Lorenzo and brothers-in-law Clifford Paine, Earl Paine and Garth “Newt” Paine; her son-in law David Galbraith and step-granddaughter Evangela “Angie” (Torgerson) Hopkins.

Evelyn is survived by her three children, Linda Brito, and husband George; David Paine and wife Joanne and Patricia “Petie” Galbraith. She also leaves behind her grandchildren Heather (Paine Cook) Peugh and husband Scott; Craig Brito and wife Rosie; Jessica Paine; Melissa (Hackett) Shepherd and husband Dave; Ken Brito and wife Cori; Jennifer (Brito) Hayes and husband Jacob; Kevin Galbraith; Aaron Pain and wife Ashley; and Justin Paine and girlfriend Devon Thompson. Her Step grandchildren Holly (Lucas) Martella and husband Jeff and Jeremy Lucas and wife Patti. She was affectionately called Nammie by her great grandchildren: Ariel, Aurora and Jake Peugh; Owen and Ansley Brito, Braden Paine, Brittani Hackett-Little and fiance David Hall, Jasen Shepherd and wife Zuri; Lauren and Emma Rae Brito; Myra, Olivia, Audrey and Lucy Hayes, Aliese Galbraith, Zeb, Eloise and Atlas Paine and Jayden and Ruka Paine. Her step-great grandchildren: Kobe Martella and wife Brittany, Andrena (Martella) Diven and husband Brayden, Chase Hopkins and girlfriend Korrie Morris, Haylee Hopkins, Madison Hopkins and partner Shantel Fixsen and Denali Hopkins. Her great grandchild Adalyn Evelyn Hall and step-great grandchildren Riven and Brooklyn Hopkins. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Silvia Leonardo and brother-in-law Lee Franz as well as too many nieces and nephews to count between the Leonardo and Paine families.

A visitation will be held on Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ferndale Assumption Catholic Church with the rosary to follow at 8 p.m. A Catholic Funeral Mass will also be held at the church on Saturday, April 6 at 10 a.m., with burial to follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Eureka. She will be laid to rest with her soulmate Timer. Reception to be held at the Catholic Church hall after the burial.

The family would like to thank Providence Home Health and Hospice of Humboldt for their assistance in allowing grandma to be home as she wanted in her final days. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Ferndale volunteer Fire Department or the Ferndale Holy Ghost Festival in her name.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Evelyn Leonardo’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.