Bernadine L. Piscopink Leonard

Bernadine Louise Leonard was born in Detroit, Michigan to William and Cecilia Piscopink on May 2, 1931, one of 5 children. She passed away peacefully in her Dearborn, Michigan home on October 2, 2012 under the gentle care of Henry Ford Hospice, at the age of 81.

She was the beloved wife of the late Robert F. Leonard who passed away before her in 2005. Loving mother of Dr. Robert J. (the late Judy) Leonard, Deborah (Daiji) Kiura, Laurie (Steven) Snell, Kathleen (Jeffrey) Borello, and Thomas (Maureen) Leonard. Dear grandma of Nicholas Leonard, Jessica Leonard, Naomi Kiura, Matthew Kiura, Leah Kiura, Stephanie (Abhishek) Chaudhary, Elsie Snell, William (Tara) Snell, Hannah Borello, Alexander Borello and Elizabeth Leonard. Great-grandma of Noah Chaudhary.

Survived by her 4 siblings; William Piscopink, Genevieve Tebelman, Barbara Nehra, and Josephine Carnaghi.

The family will receive friends for a Visitation on Friday, October 5, 2012 from 3-9pm with a 7pm Rosary Service at Harry J. Will Funeral Home on Plymouth Road (East of Beech Daly) in Redford.

The Funeral Mass, led by Fr. Rich Bartoszek, will be at 10:00am on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church on West Chicago (corner of Inkster Road) in Redford. Final Viewing will be at church from 9:30am until Mass begins at 10:00am on Saturday morning.

Bernadine will be laid to rest next to her husband in St. Hedwig Catholic Cemetery, Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

A Memorial Luncheon will follow the Committal Prayers at Dearborn Hills Golf Course (Michigan Ave. & Telegraph) Maps will be provided.

Memorial Donations may be made in Bernadine's name to:

Alzheimer's Association

P.O. Box 96011

Washington, DC 20090-6011

1.800.272.3900

www.alz.org

or

Hospices of Henry Ford

One Ford Place-5A

Detroit, MI 48202

(248) 588-2004

[email protected].

Below are memories of our beautiful, loving, and kind-hearted…Grandma Leonard

Elise Snell’s (Daughter of Laurie) Memories of Grandma Leonard:

 Good food. Need I say more? Some of my favorites were blueberry pancakes with the little cans of juice from the cellar for breakfast, Easter ham, 8 dozen Keithley cookies at Christmas, beautifully decorated birthday cakes, and interesting Hungarian dishes (i.e. blood soup, head cheese, etc.)

 I loved tapping my "inner craftiness" with Grandma. I remember one afternoon sitting down with her and her teaching me how to crotchet. I also was inspired to enter the 4H cake decorating contest with her help. Little did I know you were not supposed to freeze a cake before it sits out in 100 degree weather for days!

 I loved when Grandma and Grandpa would come visit and we wouldn't have to take the school bus home. Grandma would drop us off and pick us up. I thought I was a celebrity getting picked up in her large Cadillac.

 Grandma was an amazing story teller. I always remember her tucking us in and telling us bedtime stories. I am pretty sure we could convince her to tell us at least "1 more time" at least 5 times.

 Her famous saying, "You're so cute, I could just eat you up." I never quite got that one ;).

 Shopping with Grandma was always the best because she always let me pick out something special for myself. Having a severe case of middle child syndrome, this was the highlight of my year.

Will Snell’s (Son of Laurie) Memories of Grandma Leonard:

 The basement: getting cans of OJ from the cellar, getting our height measured, the slot machine, and staying up late listening to grandma telling us stories about mom and her siblings as kids

 Easter: spent nearly every Easter with Grandma at St. Robert Bellamine church. Going to the summer fair at St. Robert Bellamine.

 Playing Cards: we would always play cards with grandma. She sure was a card shark!

 Grandma was always smiling and laughing. She was an incredible grandma and we were all so lucky to have had her in our lives.

Stephanie Chaudhary’s (Daughter of Laurie) Memories of Grandma Leonard:

 Grandma was one of the most loving, kind-hearted and caring people I have ever known. She always referred to me as “lovebug.” She seemed to have so much fun being our grandma and spoiling us. She was always laughing and smiling. Whenever Grandpa Leonard was napping we would sneak out of the house and do something fun whether it meant a trip to the Wonderland Mall or a walk down to St. Robert’s. She was always up for trying new things. She was so proud of all of the opportunities that her grandchildren had that she never had whether it was school or traveling. She was smart as a whip.

 Whenever Grandma stayed with us she always packed the best lunches with lots of special foods that mom and dad wouldn’t let us have!

 Grandma laying with us late into the night telling us stories about her childhood and about our parent’s childhood. The yellow blankets we always used for our “sleepovers” with Grandma.

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 Dancing around the living room at their house on Dover to the Bosna Nova as a child and to Ace of Base as a young teenager. Grandma bought me my first Ace of Base cassette tape and I thought I was pretty cool stuff!

 Grandma’s beautiful Christmas decorations (the tree, the village, and lots of presents), Christmas meals, and Christmas cookies!

 Grandma making us special breakfasts of blueberry pancakes, fancy muffins, and OJ.

 Trips to Domino Farms and the Henry Ford village.

 Grandma’s loud and tone deaf singing at church which always made me smile! (and which I seem to have inherited!)

 Grandma’s shining beautiful blue eyes.

 Going to get ice cream in Novi and Grandma’s love of butter pecan ice cream!

Jessica Leonard’s (daughter of Bob) Memories of Grandma Leonard:

 Grandma letting me decorate plates with icing (this prompted me to say I wanted to be a cake decorator)

 The measuring stick in her basement where we would all stand and see how tall we were

 Playing slots in the basement

 Grandma teaching me to sew

 Going to the St. Roberts summer fair

 Baking cookies with grandma

Elizabeth Leonard’s (daughter of Tom) Memories of Grandma Leonard:

My memories of my grandma are an assortment of small but beautiful sights, sounds, and feelings. I remember her smile rippling across her face, from her mouth to her cheeks to her eyes, crinkling and sparkling. I remember the sound of her laughter and her voice, the chuckle that would bubble inside her and spill from her lips. But my favorite memory of my grandma is her holding me. Lifting me waayy up, so high off the ground. Her arms wrapping around me and a kiss on my cheek. I remember thinking, "Grandma is so strong". And she was. Her strength was in her love.

Nick Leonard’s (son of Bob) Memories of Grandma Leonard: When I think of Grandma, my memories of her are always the brightest when I think of the time we spent up north at the cottage. As a kid, I loved going up north. I remember driving up with Grandma and Grandpa and being excited when Grandpa’s Cadillac hit that dirt road and eventually went up the driveway to the cottage. I was always amazed by how it felt like you were completely alone in the woods and how the surrounding forest seemed boundless. I was also always surprised by how much Grandpa took naps. But while Grandpa took naps, Grandma and I would fill the days with ice cream in between going for walks in the forest and playing cards, board games, and croquet which I strangely loved. We would occasionally venture into town when we needed to, but I really treasured those experiences going to a place that seemed to me at the time to be a world apart from where I lived and where there was nothing to do but be with Grandma and enjoy the place you were in. As a kid who rarely sat still I don't remember ever enjoying simplicity as much as I did in those trips up north.