Charles Michael Leone

Charles Michael "Mike" Leone, cherished son, brother, father, grandfather and friend, departed this world on May 12, 2024 leaving a legacy of humor, adventure and wit. He was 79.

Born March 27, 1945 to Charles (Chuck) and Rose Feinberg Leone in San Francisco, Mike was a hard worker from his youth. His early exposure to the inner workings of the local newspaper blossomed from an after-school paper route into a life-long pursuit of communications excellence.

After a stint at a TV station after college, Mike spent a distinguished 50-year career leading marketing communications efforts for travel and tourism-related companies, in-house and at the helm of his own public relations firm. Through these efforts, he traveled the world many times over and developed life-long friendships with clients and co-workers alike. In particular, Mike relished his time working at Disney, where he met his wife, Patricia (Patti), and many talented people. Recently, Mike became The Travel Curmudgeon - a savvy, if persnickety, anonymous travel enthusiast who offered tips and commentary on his eponymous social media channels.

Mike will be remembered for his charm, his warmth, his voracious reading and his love of burgers. Preceded in death by his parents, brother Richard Leone, and wife Patti, Mike will be deeply missed by his adoring family, including his son Bradley (Tiffany) Leone, daughter Hilary (Greg) Angel, and his four grandchildren, who became the light of his life in later years, as well as many friends and colleagues.

A burial service will be held on Friday, June 14, 2024 at 11:30am at Oak Mound Cemetery in Healdsburg, Calif. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mike's honor to the Healdsburg Food Pantry or the American Cancer Society.

https://travelcurmudgeon.com https://www.healdsburgfoodpantry.org https://www.cancer.org/

Published in Healdsburg Tribune · May 20, 2024