BROADWAY, Leonie

Barbara Leonie de Gale was born June 4th, 1947 in Marley House, Grenville, St. Andrews, Grenada. She was the third child and first daughter of Charles and Barbara de Gale.

Leonie’s mother Barbara, who was hearing impaired, would give the story of the time little Leonie told her “When I grow up I want to get a hearing aid just like yours.”

In 1952 when Leonie was five, the family left Grenada.  They settled in Goodwood Park, Trinidad, where they lived until the end of the fifties. During this period, Leonie and her young friends in the neighbourhood would enjoy birthday ‘donkey cart rides’ up and down the street. She would also enjoy dressing up with her friends in elaborate costumes to participate in ‘Kiddy Carnival.’

During these Goodwood Park years, Leonie’s fourth and fifth siblings were born. With Nigel, when the phone rang with the news that she now had yet another brother, she cried with disappointment. She had to wait another four years before Virginia gave her the sister she had long hoped for.

At the age of 13, Leonie’s life changed once more when the family moved to England. Her father purchased and managed Clarges, an 80 bedroom hotel on the sea front in the southern resort town of Brighton. Leonie was sent to Lewiston Manor, a convent boarding school near Sherbourne, Dorset, west of Brighton.

When home on holidays, Leonie and her five siblings lived in a two story private suite in the hotel. It was here in 1967 that she met the love of her life, Robert Broadway, a young man vacationing at the hotel with his parents. At the time, Leonie had had taken on a holiday job working with housekeeping in the hotel.

Leonie and Robert were married on September 21st, 1968 in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire and remained married until her passing. Coincidentally, the priest that married them later married Lulu and Maurice Gibb. During his speech the priest recommended they always keep communicating with each other, and if you believe you are contributing 90% to the marriage to make it work and you’re ok with it then it will always be a success. A funny moment was when the priest asked Robert  “do you take Leonie to be your wife”, Robert had a dry throat and couldn’t say yes audibly. Later on, they were joking “did Bob actually say yes to Leonie?”.

While living in Sutton, close to London, the young couple were blessed with their first child, Stuart, born in 1975. Six years later in 1981 while residing in Tamarisk, they welcomed their second child, Caroline.

1982 saw the beginning of a new chapter in their life when the young family moved to Canada, settling in Meadowvale, Mississauga, close to Leonie’s mother Barbara, brother Christopher and sister Virginia.

Leonie raised young Caroline at home until she started school. Leonie then found work as a Secretary at the Ontario Egg Marketing Board in Meadowvale. Leonie gave 27 years of her life working at the board, while always making sure to tend to the family’s needs.  She was a pillar of support, loving and nurturing, like a welcoming blanket of warmth, always eager to hear about your day. During that time she learned to expect the many egg jokes that came with the job; Jokes like… “Was your day eggsaperating?” and can you give “eggsamples?”

Stuart and Caroline have so many wonderful memories of Christmas because of Leonie. She would put so much time and love into making it magical and extra special for them. She would also go above and beyond with hosting family gatherings. Family was so important to her.

In 1991 Leonie suffered the loss of her oldest brother Roger. Then in 1997 saw the loss of her father Charles and in 2012 her beloved mother Barbara.

In her prime, Leonie was gifted with an unusual beauty, often drawing comparisons to actress Sophia Loren. Her brother Stephen recalled walking with her on the street, and being amazed at the many men and some women who would turn around to look at her. He said to her “you must be proud of that,” to this she replied, “Not at all… It annoys me.” With stories like this, Stephen observed that “she was indeed a humble person.”

Leonie was a devout Catholic whose spirituality inspired both of her children as adults to join the Catholic faith through the RCIA program and as well as her husband later on.

She first became a grandmother in 2006 when Dylan was born to Marie-Anne and Stuart. They made her a grandmother twice more, in 2009 when her second grandson, Lucas, was born and in 2014 when her granddaughter Chelsea was born.

Caroline fondly recalls the cherished days in the first years of Leonie’s grandson Dean’s life, when Leonie stayed over, enjoying baby cuddles, reading him books, nature walks, cooking together and shopping.  These precious moments became fewer and less possible as her Parkinson’s disease progressed.

Grenada held a special place in Leonie’s heart, she stated, ”I have to go back to Grenada one last time before I die if its the last thing I do.” Her wish was fulfilled in 2019 when family and friends pulled together to make this happen. Leonie enjoyed visiting places especially her birthplace, Marley, recalling special memories of her past.

From 2015 onward, Leonie battled with Parkinson’s disease and suffered a steady decline of her health over the next 9 years. She passed comfortably at the nursing home on October 15th, 2024.

You touched the lives of all who knew you.

Our loss is heavens gain.

Funeral Details

Monday, October 21st, 2024, Funeral Mass Mass will be held at 10:30am at:

St John of the Cross Parish
6890 Glen Erin Drive
Mississauga, ON L5N 2E1

She will be laid to rest at 12:00pm at:

Assumption Catholic Cemetery
6933 Tomken Rd
Mississauga ON L5T 1N4

Family and friends are invited to gather for food and refreshments at 1:00pm at:

St John of the Cross Parish
6890 Glen Erin Drive
Mississauga, ON L5N 2E1