September 19, 1959 – January 23, 2023

Charlie Leonard passed away in Lakewood, CO, on January 23. He is survived by his sisters Anne Leonard, Kim DiStefano, his nephew Luke DiStefano, his niece Kara DiStefano Strickland, and his grandniece Neve Strickland. He was preceded in death by his parents, long-time Summit County residents Glenn and Virginia Leonard.

A long-time Summit County resident himself, Charlie graduated from Summit High School in 1977 and most recently lived in Silverthorne. Before retiring in 2020, Charlie worked for several years as a breakfast cook at Arapahoe Basin. He is fondly remembered by his co-workers and friends there as “Charlie Bacon,” because of the generous helpings of bacon and eggs that he provided to the morning shift employees.

A third-generation Coloradan, Charlie was born in Denver, CO, but spent most of his life in the Colorado mountains. The mountains and sea were his passions. He started skiing at the age of six, and raced for Arapahoe Basin and Vail. While he skied throughout Colorado, the western U.S. and Europe, he considered A Basin his home mountain.

Sailing was also near to his heart and he was happiest at the helm of his laser on Lake Dillon. Some may remember him sailing the family Ensign with his father Glenn on Dillon Reservoir, or the Cal-30 off the coast of California.

He learned to scuba dive as an adult and logged over 500 dives in the Caribbean, Central America, and the Pacific. He loved to see sharks in their native habitat. One of his fondest trips was swimming with the sharks in the Galapagos Islands.

Charlie was rarely seen without a dog by his side. His dogs: Maui, Latte, Toffee, and most recently his Great Pyrenees Evie, were his constant companions.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday February 8, 1:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Denver, Colorado. A celebration of life will be held at A Basin this summer. Memorial contributions may be made to Summit Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, or the charity of your choice.