Anita M. LeBlanc, 1953–2026, ‘truly cared about others’

Anita M. LeBlanc, 72, of Londonderry, NH, died Wednesday April 15, 2026 in her home with her family by her side.  She was born on October 28, 1953 in Glen Cove, L.I., NY, a daughter of the late Peter and Grace (Neilson) Malde.  Anita had been a resident of Londonderry for the past 9 years, formerly living in Waltham, MA.  She was employed in human resources for the State of Massachusetts for 28 years, retiring in 2016.    

She is survived by three daughters, Michelle DeFrancesco and her husband Scott, Crystal Knowles and her husband John, and Julie Wahl; grandchildren, Amber Carlow, Jessica and Logan Ulch, Brittany and Jake DeFranscesco, and Scarlott Wahl; great grandchildren, Aiden, Atlas, and Nora; her brother, Philip Malde; one nephew, Scotty Malde. 

Anita was the kind of person who truly cared about others. She had a way of getting anyone she met to tell her their life story. She would then offer support, encouragement and advice. Each walked away knowing she cared and feeling a little better. 

She loved her family fiercely and would do just about anything for them. Her kids, grandkids and great grandkids meant everything to her. Through the years she also collected children of her heart. A lot more than her daughters called her mom. She had lots of great friends who she loved like family. She welcomed many into her home, offering support, guidance, and care to friends, extended family, and those she came to consider her own children. Because love, for her, was never limited by blood.

She was a woman of strong spirit and deep emotion: resolutely independent, deeply loyal, and unafraid to speak the truth. While her journey included struggles, she faced them with courage and continued to show up for those she loved.

She is remembered not only for her strength, but for her warmth, her beauty, her resilience and her capacity to love deeply. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the family she built, and the enduring impact of her care, honesty and devotion to all she loved.

“A mother’s love endures beyond her life—it becomes the voice in your heart.”

Following cremation, calling hours will be held on Monday, April 20, from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Road, Londonderry.  Memorial contributions may be made to the COPD Foundation or The American Lung Association.  To send a condolence please visit www.peabodyfuneralhome.com