East Montpelier, VT On Monday, May 23, Leon John Boucher died at his East Montpelier home from complications due to esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by family. Leon was born November 18, 1928, at Heaton Hospital in Montpelier to John and Stella Boucher. He graduated from St. Michael's Catholic School in Montpelier in 1947 and attended EC Goodwin Technical School in New Britain, CT. He married his high school sweetheart, Jean Marie Cyr, on October 1, 1949 in Washington, VT. Shortly afterwards, he was drafted into the US Army in support of the Korean War. He served in Munich, Germany until 1952. In 1956, he began a 30-year-career with the US Postal Service, retiring in 1986 as postmaster of Montpelier. In the 1980s, Leon helped initiate the expanded zip code system called "Zip + Four," which aids mail sorting and efficiency, and is still in use today. He also represented management at arbitration and had special assignments with the US Postal Rate Commission. In retirement Leon enjoyed part time jobs with Walker Motors and Vermont National Bank. One of Leon's great passions was alpine skiing. He served on the ski patrol at Mad River Glen, and he skied at Stowe Mountain Resort from the 1950s until the 1980s. He also enjoyed memorable ski trips to Tuckerman Ravine in the 1960s with his son Donald and daughter Lynda. He also skied in the Rocky Mountains and in the Swiss Alps. In the 1990s, he settled on Jay Peak as his favorite mountain, achieving the honorary title of ski ambassador. He skied nearly every day of the ski season from 1986 to 2009. Leon was an avid motorcyclist, traveling North America with his wife to rallies on their Honda Gold Wing. They made memorable trips to Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Leon particularly enjoyed watching his son Randy play baseball, and he loved to watch his granddaughter Alexis play soccer and basketball. Throughout his life, Leon has been civic-minded. He helped found the Montpelier Amateur Hockey Association when his son, Todd, participated in youth hockey programs. He was a past president and scholarship chair of the Montpelier Kiwanis International Club. Leon served as an usher at St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church in Montpelier, where he was a lifelong parishioner. Leon is survived by his wife, Jean Marie Cyr Boucher of Montpelier; his daughter, Lynda Boucher Downing, and her husband, David Downing of Montpelier; three sons, Donald Boucher and his wife, Carol Neudorfer Boucher of Essex Junction; Randy Boucher and his wife, Jane Howe Boucher of Montpelier; and Todd Boucher and his wife, Sarah Meade Boucher of Northfield; five grandchildren: Aaron Downing of Montpelier; Lance Downing of Anchorage, Alaska; Ian Downing of Montpelier; Alexis Boucher of Montpelier and Solange Boucher of Northfield, and one great granddaughter, Elizabeth Downing. He is also survived by his sister, Muriel Boucher of Montpelier, and nieces, nephews and cousins. All who knew him will remember Leon's stoicism and dry sense of humor. Leon and the family are indebted to oncologist Dr. Steven Ades, MD, and his staff at Fletcher Allen Health Care for the exemplary care he received. Upon being diagnosed with cancer in 2009, Leon's wish was to ski again. Despite life threatening complications, Dr. Ades told Leon, "Never Give Up Hope." Leon never gave up and he skied the slopes of Jay Peak for the last time in March 2010. He had a memorable day skiing with his sons Donald and Todd, his daughter-in-law Jane, his granddaughter Alexis, and his ski "buddies." A memorial service will be held at St. Augustine's Church, 16 Barre St., Montpelier, on Friday, May 27 at 1 p.m. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. At Leon's request, there will be no calling hours. Interment will be at Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center, VT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Leon's memory to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road-Berlin, Barre, VT 05641 or Saint Augustine's Church, 16 Barre Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Those wishing to send on-line condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com and go to Leon's obituary.