I grew up with Leslie and went to infant school with him. He lived around the corner from me. I remember him showing me great kindness when I was ill. He also took me to Stamford Bridge to see Chelsea.


I am very sorry to read that he is no longer with us and I send my belated condolences to his family.



Love to all - Jeremy Mitchell 

So by now  Les has shaken up the great engineering office in the sky and organised it to his liking, and woe betide any slackers up there :-) I recruited Les to be my eyes and ears in Houston while I was working for Worley Parsons in St Petersburg Russia, supervising a contractor there. From our first phone conversation I realised he was a kindred spirit in work ethic and so it proved over the two and a half years we worked together.  How much work we both crammed into that time! I got to know Les better on the many extended visits he made to Russia.He proved to be one of the few people who became more than just a colleague over my working years. I'm grateful to have been his friend and sad to have lost him so young.

When Les first started coming around I thought, "Who is this Michael Cane looking fellow trying to court my mom?"  I quickly figured out that he was not just an ordinary guy, he was pretty special.  As we got to know him better we found that he was a genuinely kind person and a highly charismatic story teller.  He always told the best stories of growing up in London and other adventures and he loved to tell them over a lovely glass of Scotch or red wine.  Over the years he became more than my mom's partner, he became part of our family.  He was there when my son was born and when my grandparents passed.  I am thankful we got to spend the time with him that we did but it just feels like it wasn't enough.  We will miss him immensely.  

He had curly hair.  And it was brown when he was young.  
We met at the Opera -  Puccini’s Tosca some 14 years ago.  My friends called him “opera man” for the longest time. 
He liked dark Chocolate Godivas,  margaritas and Chiles rellenos.  His love for red wine is legendary. 
He kept all disputed and dismissed speeding ticket in a file folder that was several inches thick. 
He was an Altar boy when he was young. 
Gave annually to various charities.  
He was a serious darts player.  
Had the biggest feet I have ever seen and wore socks with his sandals and shorts. 
He loved flowers especially red roses.
He sang Karaoke in Washington state when he was bored. – Joe Cocker- Unchain my Heart. 
He loved his nephews, Jason and Christopher and helped them to grow into men after the death of his brother, Paul.  
He took dancing lessons.  They didn’t help.  But he loved to dance to Blues. 
Designed and constructed his house in Spring Branch. 
Everyone that has ever worked with him on anything grew to respect and admire him after the initial shock of receiving direction from this pushy Brit.  
He was a clothes horse and had more shoes than I did at any given time… quite a feat. 
If I told you that he was perfect, you would laugh and know that I was full of ….
He was stubborn and bullheaded. 
Couldn’t sing.   Couldn’t dance.  
He had big feet and would cut his hair too short in the summer time 
He would over fill the dishwasher and cooked his clothes in the washer. 
Slept too long on the weekends.   And wanted tell me how to do everything…
He was my Les, my stealer of the blankets, my rock.  And I cannot say goodbye, my sweetheart… not just yet. 

I came to know Les when working on a project in Saint Petersburg, Russia. At work he was one the key project figures, and outside of work -  generous, a bit eccentric, art lover…  And full of great stories. I will always be thankful to Les and Gloria for the way they took care of me and my friend when we were in Houston. And also for being always ready to say a good word about me when I needed it. And for staying in touch even during this hard time...


My husband, Ted Brewer, worked with Les and Gloria while they and Ted worked for WorleyParsons on an assignment in St. Petersburg, Russia.   One of the perks for a wife was the opportunity to stay with Ted for a bit.   It was almost time for the Thanksgiving holiday and Gloria and Les decided to do a grand Thanksgiving dinner.  They recruited every one from WorleyParsons to bring something to eat or bring an appetite    They couldn't find aluminum baking pans or yams so I was requested to load up my luggage with these essential items.   The sweetest MEMORY I have of Les was a story he told at this Thanksgiving dinner in Russia.   Someone asked Les how he met Gloria.   The story goes that he and Gloria were both attending an opera in Houston, not as a date, he just bumped into her while there.  They chatted for a while and he gallantly offered to escort her to her car.   I can't remember why she needed to get into her trunk, but when she opened it up, her trunk was full of construction tools!!!   While he was telling us this story, he raised his fists up, and exclaimed with the biggest smile on his face, "OMGosh,  she had her own tools.   Wow, a pretty gal; a cultured gal; and she had her own tools."   He was clearly very impressed by this, and reminiscing with Gloria the other day, she laughed and said, "He had NO tools of his own."   I will always treasure this story he told.   Les, you will be greatly missed.   Submitted by PJ Brewer (wife of Ted Brewer)

I feel very blessed to have been able to accompany Sandra on visits with Les this past year and a half even though his health was declining and he was limited in how much he could talk. Sandra had told me many interesting stories about him and the adventures they shared along with the wonderful  friends and relatives he had. She informed me about his generosity, love of the arts, work ethic, and zest for life. I admired him for all these attributes before I even had an opportunity to meet him. 
I really enjoyed going to a few of Les's favorite places to eat and trying some ethnic foods I had never eaten before. I decided to order the same as Les and I was extremely satisfied. Les knows good food and spirits and we shared similar tastes.
I am sad that I'm unable to attend the service celebrating his life but he has been and will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Gloria, my heartfelt condolences for your loss.
Les, I look forward to meeting again in a better place.
 

Gone too soon.  Many fond memories of drinking good wine and eating good food with Les.   Farewell to one of the most intelligent and decisive people we have known. 

He has ceased to be, he rests in peace, he has kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed his last, and gone to meet the Great Head of Light Entertainment in the sky .  .  .

And I guess that we’re all thinking how sad it is that a man of such talent, such capability and kindness, of such unusual intelligence should now be so suddenly spirited away of the age of only sixty-three, before he’d achieved many of the things of which he was capable, and before he’d had enough fun.

Heaven knows what the next hour in Les’ name.

Really, anything for him but mindless good taste.  And that’s what I’ll always remember about him.

Bruce A. Vohar
Co-worker and Colleague
May 25, 2018


Too many memories, not enough words. Thanks for it all Les. My Uncle, inspiration and friend.

With fond, loving memories of our cousin Leslie. We spent many a happy Saturday afternoon at our Grandparents in Belsize Road, London, even if Les and his brother Paul did water bomb us in the garden. Leslie also held a very special place in our Mum and Dad's hearts, Gloria and Ron.


The years of friendship, glasses of Scotch and wine shared, dinners here and there, and just good times, Les, we will miss you.

Memorial Service

Reception to follow in the Event room at Earthman Funeral Directors at Hunters Creek

He lost his brother Paul Cianfrone in 2001.  Mother Maureen Cianfrone died in 2006 and his father, Gino Cianfrone died in late 1990’s.

He is survived by Gloria Carmona, his partner of 14 years,  Natividad Cianfrone, beloved sister in law and her children Jason and Christopher Cianfrone, aunt Pat Abbott, and her children, Vincent and “Tony”, cousins, Deborah  Hodgson and Stephanie Forrester  (children of Uncle Ronnie and Gloria Muchmore) and their respective spouses and children .  Les is also leaves behind his ex-wife of many years, Sandra Cianfrone.

OBITUARY

Leslie (Les) Vincent Cianfrone

July 12, 1954 – May 14, 2018

Earthman Funeral Directors

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