Leonard (Lenny) Abelow died on Tuesday , February 12, 2019. Extraordinarily loving & proud Father, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather. Son of the late Ida and Rabbi Leo Abelow. Brother of Joseph & his late wife Greta, the late Jack (Jakie) & his late wife Annette, the late Aaron (Arkie) & his wife Sylvia & the late Chany Abelow Zev & her husband Yaakov Zev.
Husband of the late Irene (Sher) Abelow and dear partner to BZ Forman. Beloved father to Susan Abelow Gilmore and Marlene Wasserstein & her husband Michael.
Papa to Benay and her husband Michael, Avi & his wife Heidi, Lauren and her husband Will, Amy and her husband Andy & the late Mark Wasserstein. Great-Grandfather to Ryan, Jason, Noa, Asher, Joshua, Shira, Aliyah & Matthew.
Our dad, Papa Lenny or simply Lenny to so many had the biggest of hearts, forever told a joke or 3 or 4, told great stories that made us laugh & always offered to lend a hand to those who didn’t have to ask as well as to those who did ask.. it was always “sure" or “no problem”.
For his kids, nothing was ever too difficult. Dad, can you do me a favor? My goodness, that’s all we had to say and he was there for us unconditionally and requiring no explanations. He didn’t fail us ever in the ways in which he loved us. It was genuine, had no conditions and he never ever stopped giving of himself. We appreciate all the love he gave us over all these years and it never stopped.
Papa Lenny , as he was lovingly called, endeared himself to his grandchildren by constantly shlepping them just about anywhere they wanted to go; school, sports, parties, Bar & Bat Mitzvot, driving classes& lessons; it didn’t matter where because the answer to asking Papa to do something was forever “yes”! He also delivered so many missing or forgotten lunches to school so that his grandchildren wouldn’t have to eat cafeteria food or G-d forbid go hungry..
Papa's Taxi roamed the streets of Canton for years.
As he turned in his Taxi Driver status, Lenny, educated by BZ,& because of BZ fell in love with yard sales, and refined his skill of finding the deals. He converted his "taxi" into a mobile storage for antiques, mementos and collectibles. His apartment also started looking like the Annex to Building 19
Lenny's love of music and singing is what he will almost certainly be remembered for. An avid Karaoke Singer well into his 90th year, Lenny was a star. With BZ as his companion, he sang regularly in Quincy at the Common Market and would routinely leave the stage to standing ovations. His catalogue included Sinatra, Elvis, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond & Nat King Cole. A wonderful voice & singing that came directly from the heart.
Despite his many accomplishments in life, there was nothing he was more proud of and nothing that compared to the importance of his family and the feeling remains mutual.
There will never be another Lenny; a man who marched to his own beat, present & available to his family & friends, loyal, devoted and loved by so many.
He truly did it his way.
In honor of his legacy, which will live for generations to come, he would want you to step up to the microphone and sing a song. Next time you are in your car and a song comes on....sing along and remember the man that was and is Dad, Papa & Lenny. In addition, hug your loved ones, cherish them, and spend time with them. Time is the one thing we cannot buy! Dad never ever stopped loving all of us and was always extraordinarily generous with his time.
Forever in our hearts and souls...may his memory be a blessing. We all love you so very, very much and will forever miss you.
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