Denis Jacques Leblond, 57, (28 for a few decades now), returned to the Father Jan. 27, 2014. He was the husband of Rosemary Theresa Ross Leblond. They were married for 34 years. Born in Boulogne Billancourt, France, he was a son of Maurice and Jacqueline Leblond.

He graduated from the Lycee Louis Le Grand (Paris, France) and received a doctorate in engineering from Ecole Polytechnique and the Corps des Mines, the most prestigious engineering school in France, from which he entered and graduated valedictorian.

He had an illustrious career spanning three decades. He began his career in the oil fields of Texas at Schlumberger as a technical manager, before moving to Air Liquide where he was named vice president of the Asia zone. Following Air Liquide, he joined Sema Group International as general manager of the France Banking and Financial Markets Division in Paris, then moved back to the United States as executive vice president, manufacturing at Mack Trucks/Volvo. He then became president of Faurecia Seating North America before returning to Paris to be named chairman and CEO of Segula Technologies.

In 2008, having long worked in industry, he decided to retire to serve the poor and needy. He and his wife and their two youngest children moved to Bucharest, Romania. There they lived alongside Roma families in the slums and accompanied over 100 children and their parents at Casa Valentina to grow and develop skills to improve their lives.

He lived life to the fullest, and had no greater joy than spending time with his children and grandchildren. He especially enjoyed skiing with them, where he was most definitely the best skier on the mountain. He loved windsurfing, cycling (with plans to race across the west this summer and America next year), sailing, waterskiing, scuba diving, camping on Sugar Island, and tolerated canoeing for love of his wife.

He was a doting father and grandfather who enjoyed treating his grandchildren to ice cream, building Legos with them, and teaching them everything he knew. His love for his wife was exemplary and a true model for those around him.

He is survived by his wife; children, Paul and his wife Camille, Catherine and her husband Jimmy, Marc and his wife Stephanie, Patrick and his wife Emily, Bernadette and Gabriel; grandchildren, Emmanuel, Eliott, Laureline, Penelope and Samuel.

Contributions may be made in his name to Fidesco USA (www.fidescousa.org) of which he was executive director.

Arrangements were made by the J.S. Burkholder Funeral Home, Allentown.