About This Memory Space
This page was created for Nancy Ann Leonard's family and friends as a place to remember them, to share stories, and to keep their memory close in everyday life.
It is cared for and added to over time by the people who knew them, and everyone is invited to contribute, whether that is a story, a photo, a few words, or a simple note.
Many families visit places like this not just once, but again and again, especially on quiet days or meaningful anniversaries. This page is here for those moments, wherever you are.
A place to return to when you want to feel close again, to remember a moment, or to leave a few words for others to read. Over time, it grows through the voices of everyone who knew and loved them.
Light a Candle Growing
Light a candle to honor Nancy Ann Leonard's memory. Each lighting keeps their memory burning bright for 23 hours.
Candle lit burns 23 hours. Come back and light it again after 23 hours to keep the memory burning.
Limited to 5 lightings per hour to prevent abuse.
Memory Wall Growing
Stories, photos, and memories shared by people who knew Nancy Ann Leonard. This is the heart of this space—a collection that grows as more people contribute.
No memories posted yet. Be the first to share a story or memory.
Life & Legacy
Nancy Ann Leonard forged an indelible mark on basketball history, education, real estate, and family life, embodying relentless drive and trailblazing spirit from her Indiana roots to her commanding presence courtside.
Born on Easter Sunday in Indianapolis to Roy and Roberta Root, Nancy's arrival derailed her father's St. Louis Cardinals tryout, redirecting the family to South Bend. There, she honed her talents at Lincoln School and Riley High School, excelling as first-chair trumpet in the Marching Wildcats band of 1950. A Rainbow Girl with the Order of the Eastern Star, she mastered piano and ukulele while juggling a part-time job at a downtown dress shop via city bus. Her path intertwined with basketball legend Bobby Leonard on a freshman date at Indiana University in 1951, blossoming into a lifelong partnership sealed by marriage in 1954 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Their journey spanned Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Baltimore, and back to Indiana, where Nancy's influence amplified with the Pacers in Carmel.
Nancy shaped young minds as a third-grade teacher and high school business instructor at Taylor High School in Kokomo, pioneering as the inaugural sponsor of the Helio yearbook. With the Indiana Pacers, she blazed trails as the first cheerleading sponsor for the Pacemates and the NBA's first female assistant general manager, ruling courtside as a charter member of 'Murderers Row' alongside fellow fans. An acclaimed realtor at F.C. Tucker, she earned a Series 7 license, coordinated the St. Mary's Auction for 25 years, and supported ventures like Herff Jones rings, Bobby Leonard's Scoreboard Restaurant, and his sports camp. Her pinnacle came with the Sagamore of the Wabash award from Governor Eric Holcomb in 2022, honoring her barrier-shattering achievements.
Family & Loved Ones
Nancy orchestrated family life with masterful precision, raising five children amid frequent relocations and keeping holiday traditions grand—from towering Christmas trees that demanded weeks to dismantle to her signature oyster casserole and peach cobbler savored at massive gatherings. A devoted member of Carmel United Methodist Church since 1970, she instilled values of faith and responsibility, ensuring Sundays honored worship or quiet reflection. Preceded by husband William Robert 'Bobby' Leonard, parents Kathleen Roberta Payne Root and Royal Bennet Root, sister Joyce Root Katona, daughter-in-law Tami Suttles Leonard, and various in-laws, she is cherished by children Terry (Larry) Grembowicz, Bobby Leonard, Billy (Suzi) Leonard, Tommy (Kristin) Leonard, Timmy (Kristy) Leonard; twelve grandchildren including Katie (Casey), Elly (Tim), Robert/Bo, and others; and nine great-grandchildren like Wyatt, Aubrey, and Santiago—plus a web of cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Remembered by Friends & Family
Tributes from admirers across Indiana echo Nancy's commanding energy and unbreakable family bonds, celebrating her as a fierce Pacers icon whose warmth rallied everyone around her.