Lenore "Lee" Harriet Kotys

She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years Joseph (Joe) Kotys and her younger sister Penelope (Penny) Rees Johnson. Lenore is survived by her four children: Jody Lenore Kotys, Christopher Kotys (Pamela), Cynthia Kotys Hobson, and Robin Kotys Whitacre (William) as well as grandchildren: Spencer Kotys, Melissa Hobson, Mekenna Hobson, Aiden Whitacre, and Logan Whitacre.

Born in Cleveland, OH on August 20, 1930, Lenore and her parents Leon and Edna Rees, shortly moved to Norwalk, OH where Lenore spent most of her childhood and graduated from Norwalk HS. After graduation, she attended Kent State University earning a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. While at Kent State, she met her future husband, Joe Kotys, an Olympic gymnast and Intercollegiate diving and wrestling champion, through a mutual friend at an ice cream parlor. Ice cream was always in their house.

Lenore taught elementary school in Lorain, OH, and Cuyahoga Falls, OH after moving there in 1957. After the birth of her second child, she was a stay-at-home mom and sometime substitute teacher. As her children grew up, she sold upscale clothing through Queensway, and later became activities director at a nursing home for several years before retiring. Lenore was a life-long learner and inspired excellence and going the extra mile in all those around her. There was always an extra touch, an added embellishment, an above expectation flourish, or a thoughtful card done in love, compassion, and kindness. She encouraged curiosity, exploration, creativity, and striving for uniqueness and exceptionality in her children. Her crowning achievement was four healthy, independent, successful children.

After years of spending summers in Florida, coming back to Ohio the last time, Lee and Joe found a huge tree branch from a violent storm had crashed in the roof of their garage and decided it was time to move permanently to Florida. First relocating to Navarre, FL near Pensacola for a few years, they decided to move to The Villages, FL to be closer to Lee’s sister Penny and her husband Ray. There, they spent many happy years enjoying the golf cart culture. After Joe’s passing, Lee remained in the house until maintaining it became too difficult and moved into an independent-living retirement community just outside The Villages. After 2 years, she experienced a mild stroke, and shortly thereafter, she decided to move to an independent-living retirement community close to her daughter Cynthia, in Victor, NY, where she lived until she was hospitalized with an illness in October 2025.

In the summer of 2000, Lee and Joe with Jody, Chris, and Cyndie visited their youngest daughter, Robin, while she was stationed in Germany. During Lenore’s first trip abroad, she enjoyed castles in Germany, the Eiffel Tour in Paris, and the National Gallery in London and never forgot the thrill of travel. After Joe died, Lenore checked off her worldwide bucket list destinations on 5 different continents with her daughter Jody, and family reunions in Yellowstone National Park and Upstate NY. Her last trip with Jody was exploring the islands and culture of Fiji in 2022 for her 93rd birthday. She traveled abroad for the last time in the summer of 2025 with Cyndie and Robin on a river cruise starting in Amsterdam and ending in Switzerland. She loved cruising, meeting new people, and exploring sites she had always read about. She was a voracious reader of fiction, historical romance, and mysteries and always kept her iPad with her never wasting a moment.

She lived a life well-lived for over 95 years, and as a life-long Christian Scientist, believed in everlasting life and the power of Divine Love. As such, she lives on in memories, legacy, and the thoughts and actions of her children, grandchildren, and every soul she touched.