Leo Anthony Sears

Leo Anthony Sears of Hockessin, Delaware, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and engineer, passed away peacefully at the age of 98 on July 18, 2025.

Son of Leopold and Cecilia (Baietti) Sears, Leo was born and raised in Hackensack, New Jersey. He went on to pursue a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree at Cornell University. Midway through his studies, Leo enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He returned to Cornell following the war, graduating in 1950. He was a proud Cornellian and an active and interested alum.

After graduation, Leo began his distinguished career at the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware, where friends introduced him to his future wife and partner, fellow scientist Renée DesMaisons, who worked in one of DuPont’s research laboratories.

Leo spent four decades at DuPont, primarily at the Experimental Station in Wilmington, working as a process engineer in polymer research and production. After retiring in 1990, he continued his connection with DuPont, working as a process safety instructor and consultant for DuPont Safety Resources.

A fifty year resident of Surrey Park in Brandywine Hundred, Leo found great joy in woodworking and volunteering at the Hagley Museum. Whether crafting detailed models or building furniture, he was a passionate maker and tinkerer who could often be found in his much-loved woodshop.

He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Renée; four children: Steven of Landenberg, PA; Leanne and her husband William Pletcher of Wailuku, HI; Nicole of New Salem, MA; and Mark and his wife Pamela of Boston, MA and their daughters Emily, Charlotte, and Gwendolyn.