Leo R. Coleman, Jr.

   Leo Raymond Coleman Jr., 76, of Chaumont, New York, passed away peacefully at his country home on April 23, surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
   Born in Watertown, New York, on January 15, 1950, Leo was the only son of Leo Raymond Coleman Sr. and Mary Cavallario Coleman. He graduated from Immaculate Heart Academy in 1968 and soon after began a life defined by hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and a richness of skill that seemed to know no bounds. There was little that Leo set his mind to that he could not do and do well.
   Following high school, Leo trained and worked as a Union Mason, both locally and in Florida. Upon returning to the North Country, he began his remarkable career as a restaurateur, opening and operating numerous beloved establishments for over five decades. His ventures included the West End Café, Fairground Inn, Barkeaters, and Coleman’s Corner in Watertown; The Barracks Inn, The Harbormaster, and The Boathouse in Sackets Harbor; The Anchor Inn in Cape Vincent; and The Summer Place in Alexandria Bay. Through these businesses, Leo created welcoming spaces where guests felt like family, while also providing employment to hundreds in the community.
   Leo was widely regarded as a Renaissance man. He possessed a rare combination of artistic vision and mechanical skill, allowing him to design, build, and transform his restaurants into warm and inviting destinations. A man who embraced life fully, he enjoyed island life and boating on the St. Lawrence River, earned his pilot’s license, and owned his own plane for several years. At home, Leo found joy in simple pleasures, tinkering in his workshop, riding his tractor, and caring for his country home. He especially cherished time spent fishing with his sons and grandchildren on the Chaumont River.
   Leo was a passionate champion and generous supporter of the local communities where he owned businesses, always eager to celebrate and share the unique character of the place he called home. Due to his pride in his Irish heritage, Leo was instrumental in the inception of the Irish Festival in Watertown, and he was honored to once serve as Grand Marshal of its parade. Leo was also President of the Chamber of Commerce in Sackets Harbor and was a driving force of the revitalization of Sackets Harbor during in the 1980s-1990s.
   Above all else, Leo was a dedicated family man whose greatest joy was found in the company of those he loved. For Leo the line between friends and family was one he never recognized, as friends were always treated as family. He had a remarkable gift for bringing people together and there was nothing that made his heart fuller than a houseful of family and friends gathered around his huge kitchen island. Leo took deep pride and pleasure in feeding and hosting others. His home was always a place where loved ones knew they would be welcomed, nurtured, and made to feel cherished. His generosity of spirit and open-hearted hospitality reflected the boundless love he had for the people in his life.
   Of those he loved dearly, he is survived by his beloved, Stephanie, whose devoted love and tender care brought immeasurable comfort and joy to his life; his greatest pride, his sons, Leo Coleman III and Jamie (Nicole) Coleman; and his cherished grandchildren, Leo IV, Lincoln, Abel, Cooper, and Jackson. He is also survived by Stephanie’s children, Joshua (Melissa) Blevins and Jordan (Dominique) Blevins, and grandchildren, Kora and Ellie.  He is further survived by his sisters who he treasured, Diane (Joseph) Recupero and Christine (Jeffery) Fields; his brother-in-law, James Webb; his six nieces and nephews, Joey Marie (Hunter) Horton, James (Jennifer) Webb, Casey Webb, Taylor (Sean) Terry, Jenna (Zach) Loura, and Jeffery Fields; seven grand nieces and nephews; numerous cousins; his former wife and the devoted mother of his sons, Bobbi Jo Bolton; and a multitude of dear friends, employees, and customers who Leo always treated as family. Leo was predeceased by his parents and his beloved sister, Kathleen Coleman Webb.
   Leo will be remembered for his unwavering work ethic, his dedication to excellence, and his gift for making others feel welcome. His legacy lives on in the businesses he built, the loyal staff who
were proud to call him their boss, the community he enriched, and the family and friends he loved so deeply.
   Calling hours will be held Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Cummings Funeral Home in Watertown. Visitation is reserved for family from 1:00–2:00 PM, with public calling hours from 2:00–7:00 PM. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00AM at St. Patrick’s Church in Watertown on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Those wishing to honor Leo’s memory are invited to make a donation in his name to North Country Family Health Center, 238 Arsenal Street, Watertown, a fitting tribute to a man who believed deeply in the well-being of his community, or a charity of your choice.

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