John Claude Leahy, Jr.

John Claude Leahy, Jr. of Silver Spring, Maryland passed away on July 20, 2026, approximately nine and a half years after receiving a double lung transplant and after a prolonged fight against cancer. He was born on March 26, 1951 to Barbara and John Claude Leahy, Sr. in Boston, Massachusetts. He grew up in Norwood, MA, Lorton, VA and Alexandria, VA with his parents and two brothers, David and Richard. John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his spouse, Adalia Leahy; his daughters, Theresa Beltran, Janice Apple, Jessica Leahy, Claudia Guy; and five grandchildren. In his youth, John was certified as an Eagle Scout and attended Hammond High School in Alexandria, VA. He went on to graduate from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan with a degree in business administration. He subsequently studied at Catholic University of America and earned a master’s degree in accounting. As an entrepreneur, he gained experience in corporate and small-business management including experience in budgeting, financial planning, project management, proposal writing, and administrative management. Later in life, he studied at Columbia Union College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing. He went on to complete a General Surgery Nursing Fellowship at Washington Hospital Center and an Intensive Care Nursing Fellowship at Doctors Community Hospital. John’s career in nursing included various hospitals in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area including: the Washington Hospital Center, Doctors Community Hospital, Providence Hospital, and the Washington VA Medical Center. John’s nursing experience included 10 years in bedside intensive care. He later went on to serve in the ENT Clinic at the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C. As the Cancer Treatment Coordinator, John developed a treatment tracking system which reduced time from initial ENT consultation to cancer treatment. This achievement was featured in the Inspiration Hallway of the medical center. He was nominated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and awarded the “100 Most Extraordinary Nurses Award” by Sigma Theta Tau in 2010. John was passionate about improving the safety and infection control processes within the medical center. As a whistleblower, he fought to improve the VA’s sterilization procedures for reprocessing reusable medical instruments in the ENT Clinic (OSC File No. DI-15-0563). John was also passionate about the individual rights of each person and staying informed on domestic and world events. John enjoyed photography, reading, hunting, fishing and camping. He was known for his dedication, vast knowledge, thoughtfulness and unwavering principles.