Leon McAvoy Avery

Leon McAvoy Avery, North Kingston, passed away peacefully at home on June 26, 2026, at the age of 90.

Born on March 2, 1936, in Grafton, Leon was the son of Herman Arthur Avery and Ruth Hannah (Pierce) Avery. He was the eldest of twelve children and from an early age learned the value of hard work, responsibility, and dedication to family.

Farming was not simply Leon’s occupation; it was his life’s work and his passion. He spent his entire life working the family farm, remaining active in the fields until the day of his passing. Through changing times in agriculture, Leon adapted and persevered, helping to build and maintain a successful farming operation that became widely known for Avery and Sons Potatoes. He took great pride in producing quality crops and caring for the land that had been in the family for generations. Leon believed that a good day’s work was its own reward, and his strong work ethic and dedication to agriculture left a lasting legacy for his children and grandchildren.

Some of the fondest memories shared by his grandchildren were the long, humid days of haying in July. Even before they were old enough to drive, they found themselves learning beside their grandfather, climbing atop towering loads of hay and riding back to the barn. These simple moments on the farm became treasured memories and reflected Leon’s quiet way of teaching responsibility, hard work, and the importance of family.

Outside of farming, Leon enjoyed many adventures during his snowmobiling years. He loved recounting the stories of long rides through the countryside, unexpected breakdowns, difficult weather, and the friendships formed along the trails. His stories, often told with great enthusiasm and a twinkle in his eye, became legendary among family and friends. Whether the tales grew slightly with each telling or not, they were always entertaining and reflected his adventurous spirit and love of the outdoors.

Leon had a keen interest in politics and was an excellent conversationalist. He could recall every election of his lifetime and enjoyed discussing political issues and analyzing campaigns with his children and grandchildren. Many evenings after supper were spent around the dining table sharing opinions, debating current events, and benefiting from Leon’s remarkable memory and insight.

His favorite pastime was the card game 45s. He played several times a week throughout his life and possessed an incredible ability to remember hands played decades earlier as clearly as those from the previous evening. His regular partners will miss their big brother, father, and friend, along with his enthusiasm for the game. Such was his devotion to 45s that he was known to walk through snowdrifts during blizzards to make it to a game.

Leon will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Barbara Doris (Hamilton) Avery of North Kingston; his children, Steven and Elizabeth Avery of Kingston, Linda Avery (Stewart) of Kingston, and Kirk and LeeAnne Avery of Aylesford; grandchildren, Tim Parsons (Annette) of Aylesford, Ashley Peach (Adam) of North Kingston, Jessica Avery (Jordan Seyforth) of North Kingston, Brent Avery of Kingston, Gillian Avery of Kingston, Gracie Avery of Calgary, Dana Avery of Aylesford, and Hildie Avery of Aylesford; great-grandchildren, Aleigha Cole, June Parsons, John Peach, Sadie Peach, Janis Parsons, and Theodore Seyforth; and great-great-granddaughter, Rori Cole. He is also survived by his brothers, Dean (Karen) and Gordon (Heather); and his sisters, Janet, Anna, Connie (Eddie) Gwen (Drew) Dianne (Ron) Shirley (Doug) Judy and Prescilla; and many nieces, and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Joan Rafuse and brothers-in-law, Lester Rafuse and Fred Duckette.

Visitation will be held, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday evening in Middleton Funeral Home, 398 Main Street, toll free 1-855-825-3448, from where the funeral service will take place at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, July 2, 2026. Rev. Leon Langille officiating, and a reception will follow the service. Interment will be in North Kingston Cemetery. Online guest book may be signed by visiting: www.middletonfuneralhome.com