LeonardAdgersonSr.wasborn on November1,1939 in Washington D.C.to the late Calhoun Adgerson and MarthaSmith. He was placed in foster care as a baby andspent a rough and tumble childhood bouncing inand outofvarious foster homes with his brother Bernard. He eventually found a loving, stable homewith George and Annie Newton in his early teens and graduated from Dunbar High SchoolinBaltimore in 1957.

He went into the Marines, spending three years there before leaving in February 1960 and gettingimmediatelymarried to Ella Mae Pollock, soon to be the mother ofhis first born, Leonard Jr. Two and a half years later, Pamela Lynn was born.

But Leonard Sr.,in his early 20s, was not emotionally prepared for the responsibilitiesofraising his family. His immense charm and outgoing personality could not be contained to one household.Leonard Sr. had relationships and children outside his first marriage. The two worlds periodically collided, causing pain, stress and consternation for many.

While he was not the perfect father,LeonardSr. at his core was a funny, loving,passionate and educated man. Heread alotof books, he appreciatedartand culture, and he loved music,especially jazz.Hishomewas often filled with the big band soundsofCount Basie, Stan Kenton and Frank Sinatra. He had a wicked, raucous, ribald senseofhumor. He loved building and painting model airplanes. Hewasextremely competitive in all things, whether it was Monopoly, pinochle or chess. He loved a good party.He was a die hard Colts, Orioles, and later, Ravens fan.

Eventually,he became a member oflota Phi Theta fraternity.

Leonard Sr. worked in various industries, starting out as a food prep at Howard Johnson's, to working in a lithography print shop, to working at Sparrows Point shipyards, complete with steel tip boots, a blue collar and a hard hat.

But Sparrows Point could be seasonal, and Leonard Sr., was periodically laid off. Rather than sit at home, he would gather up the kids in the neighborhood,head to the ball field at a local elementary school and play baseball all afternoon.Hewasthe leader. The pied piper.Indoing so, Leonard Sr. made sure kids developed athletic skills and stayed outof trouble.

By the late 70s, he began working full time at Eesco Pump and Valve, where he led a teamofworkers repairing industrial pumping systems. Leonard Sr. always worked as hard as he played.

After a while,he developed diabetes and retired a few years later in 2001.Italso seems that Leonard Sr. decided to truly live thelifehe wanted. Atwhatevercost. Ella Mae and Pam moved together and left Maryland in 2002, and Ella Maedivorced Leonard Sr. in 2003.

A few years later, Leonard Sr. met Etta in 2009, opening a newchapterin his life.

LeonardAdgerson Sr.is survivedby his lovingfriend EttaThomasand two children Leonard Adgerson Jr.and Pamela Lynn Adgerson.