William Lesniewski Obituary

William J. Lesniewski (DEC 4, 1942 - JAN 6, 2007) Remembered...

The "W" in your name stands for...

WARM-HEARTED: Friendly, sensitive, & understanding with everyone he met. You could do no wrong in Bill's eyes.

WONDERFUL: Bill couldn't say enough wonderful things about his sons Bill & Jeff, his daughter-in-law Mary, and his grandchildren Stephen & Samantha. He was proud of them all.

WANDERER: The road Bill chose to follow in life was not always straight & narrow, but it led him to his beautiful wife Mary.

"THE WHIP": Like James Dean, Bill was a "Rebel." Mary said Bill was always "walking on the edge of trouble."



The 1st "I" in your name stands for...

ILLINOIS: The state that you were born, raised, and called home.

ILLUMINATE: Bill brightened up all of our lives...but most importantly, he was the light of Mary's life.

INSPIRE: An extraordinary person! Bill could lift you high above the clouds with just his smile.

ITEM: Bill & Mary were an item...you couldn't tear them apart.



The 1st "L" in your name stands for...

LAS VEGAS: Where the strip provided Bill & Mary with many fun-filled adventures and memories.

LISTEN: Bill was an excellent story teller. Mary would listen for hours about the stories Bill told.

LOVE: Bill & Mary had a love for each other that was deeper than anyone could imagine.

LAUGHTER: Bill had a wonderful sense of humor. His jokes kept us all laughing.



The 2nd "L" in your name stands for...

LEMON CAKE: One of Bill's favorite desserts.

LES BROTHERS: A local restaurant where Bill & Mary enjoyed good food, good friends, & good times!

LUCKY: To have good buddies like Tony, Teddy, Danny, Little Joe, & Joe Miskos.

LIBRARY: Bill was a library of information on James Dean. Bill & James Dean were legends in their own time.



The 2nd "I" in your name stands for...

IF: If we could only have you back with us. We miss you!

INTEGRITY: Without a doubt, an honest man of impeccable character & morals.

INCREDIBLE: You're one in a million Bill! A man without boundaries. A wise, intelligent, and incorruptable man.

IMMORTAL: The name William J. Lesniewski will never be forgotten. You'll always be remembered by those who loved you.



The "A" in your name stands for...

ADORED: Bill just adored his wife Mary. They were inseparatable & partners in life. They shared everything together.

ADVENTURES: Whether it was a trip to the casino, a weekend drive to the trailer in Plymouth, dinner & a movie...life was always an adventure with Bill.

ANGELS: Bill was a child of God. God sent his angels down to bring his son back home with him. They broke the mold when they made Bill...there will never be another man like him.

ADMIRED: "Bill was one of the great ones." Everyone respected him and recognized him as the nicest, kindest, & sweetest man they ever met.



The "M" in your name stands for...

MEMORIBILLA: No one in Chicago had a larger collection of James Dean memoribillia than Bill. He had a room in his house dedicated to his idol.

MOVIES: "East of Eden", "Giant", and "Rebel Without a Cause" were a few of the movies James Dean starred in and Bill loved to watch.

MOTORCYCLES: Bill spent many of his youthful days riding his bike through the streets of Chicago.

MARY: His love, his wife, his partner, his soulmate, ... his everything!

I know it is almost a year later but at the time Bill passed away I was in Mayo Clinic having surgery and was not home from 1/07 till the end of 2/07 and this whole year I still have not been the same trying to recover. I just recently found out I could still write something in this. My brother in law Bill was the best. I couldn't ask for a more gentle sweet honest person. He made a difference in our family and I will always be greatful for that and miss him more than anyone knows. He had more compassion for people and their feelings than many people will ever know.If you didn't know Bill you missed alot and that is to your disadvantage. He actually treated me like a sister more than a sister in law. I enjoyed being with him and so did my husband and son. I wish I could have been here for your wake and funeral and been here for my sister to help and show how I cared and love both of you. I know your with the Lord and you feel no sorrow, pain or tears at this point and I have the hope in Christ Jesus that I will meet you again when it's my turn to be with the Lord. Till then I will always remember you so fondly and love you dearly.I'll never forget your smile ,your laugh,your love for Mary or my family. The twinkle in your eye when you were teasing. Or the glow in your face when you saw or talked about Mary. Thank you for making her so happy all these years and may your memories keep us warm and comforted with love until we see you again. I miss and love you my big brother. I'm so sorry your gone.
Mardee(Hillock) Hankus

Bill, so many emotions filled my heart when you died. Feelings of shock, sadness, and sorrow changed to disbelief, denial, and anger. I cried out to hear your voice, but my tears could not bring you back. I felt guilty for not being with you more, and blamed myself for not spending more time with you. They say time heals, but I'll never forget you. My heart will always be warmed by the loving memories that I have of you. You'll always be part of me. Death is unfair, and my life is hard without you. It'll never be the same. I've been told that life is a journey, and that you must appreciate those you meet along the way. Bill, you were a very special person. Thanks for being my friend and companion in my journey of life. I'll miss you, but I'll never forget you!

Although I only met with Bill a handful of times, he left an impression on my heart.The way he lit up the room with his smile. The way he looked at his wife. I feel blessed to have known him. I will keep Bill and his family in my prayers.

I miss you Uncle Bill. Thank you for being such a good uncle and for the encouragement you gave me. You were and still are an important part of my family. I will never forget you. You and my Aunt Mimi were great partners. The two of you loved each other a lot and had some unique adventures together. I know you also loved both of your sons very much. Thank you for coming into my life Uncle Bill. Thank you for coming into all of our lives.

Some Indians say you are still alive as long as someone remembers you and talks about you. We are all remembering you fondly Bill and will always think of you when we see anything James Dean. You made Mary very happy and it will be hardest for her without you at her side. I know you’ll be looking out for her from heaven, because you always did on earth. We all say we want to die a quick death, but we all still want to say our final goodbyes. Goodbye, Bill, we’ll miss you, your jolly laugh and your happy, gentle, caring spirit. Deepest sympathy to Mary and all of Bill’s family.

What can you say at times like this?
Bill and Mary:
You have lived and loved together
Through many changing years,
You have shared each others gladness,
And wept each other's tears.
Live for something
Do Good,
and leave behind you a monument
a monument of virtue's that storms of time
can never destroy.
Carmita.

James Dean said "If a man can bridge the gap between life and death ... if he can live on after he's dead, then maybe he was a great man." Bill you were not only great, you were a "Giant". Your gentleness was your strength. It was an honor to know you and to call you my friend.

Uncle Bill was the best uncle anyone could ever have. Whether I was doing well, or not so well in my life he was always proud of me, and I knew there was nothing he wouldn't have done for me. Every time I see something about James Dean, I think of him, and now it makes me sad because I wonder if there is anyone out there who understands and appreciates James Dean and the things he stood for as well as Uncle Bill did.

Besides his fascination with the "rebel without a cause," uncle Bill had a truly generous heart and was loved his wife, my Aunt Mimi, with every cell in his body. Such a man will never be replicated.

As I look out the window today I see that it is raining, this the world mourning the loss of a great man, Bill Lesniewski. I still find it hard to believe that Bill has been taken from us. Bill was kind, gentle and loved my sister, Mary with his whole heart. To know Bill was to love him.

Bill you will be missed more than you ever imagined. We will meet again in eternity.

Bill and Mary obviously knew what "true love" was all about. They were caring, affectionate and loving toward each other each and every time we saw them. They had a special relationship that not many people have the opportunity to enjoy. Our condolences to Mary. Bill was a good man, a loving husband and will truly be missed.

Uncle Bill was a great guy whose laughter caused many others to laugh with him. My condolences to all who have been fortunate enough to know him and especially to Aunty Mary, whom I know will never forget the experiences God gave them to share together.

Those that knew Uncle Bill have lost a dear friend, a happy guy and a doting husband. Tho he liked to crash cars/houses (not on purpose) and collect Jimmy Dean (not the sausages) stuff, I think what he really wanted was to make his wife happy, enrich the lives of others and of course win at the poker table. When I first met uncle Bill, I thought his rough exterior (tattoos, goatee, etc) was highly in contrast to what I knew of Aunty Mary (upper crust and suave) but time exposed that un-truth. He took very good care of Aunty Mary and made her happy and in my book, that's alot.

We'll miss you Uncle Bill.

Jim

When I think of Uncle Bill, I think of a sweet man with a heart of gold that loved his wife, Aunty Mary, dearly. He made her smile like no one else could and vice versa. I also think of James Dean and classic cars. The world is a happier place for having had Uncle Bill in it and it was a blessing to have known him. I will always remember him fondly and I would like to extend my most sincere condolences to his family and friends. You are in my prayers.

I met Bill years ago when he was dating my very best friend, Mary! He was a funny, very nice man. He made Mary smile like she had never smiled before! Years later a wonderful thing happened, Bill asked Mary to marry him. I was honored to be Mary's matron of honor, and all of my 5 children stood up to Bill and Mary's wedding. My children instantly loved Uncle Bill, how could they not? Bill was entertaining, a jokester,respectful, kind, loving, gallant, loyal, generous, and a wonderful companion for Mary. He was a loving son who doted on his mother, who he took to Bingo every week till she died. He was proud of his sons, especially Bill and grandkids Steven and Samantha. He was a loyal friend to his friends, Tony( who he still mourned the loss of ) and Joe. He was a great travel partner, and will surely be missed by me and all of my family. I don't think ANYONE can ever see anything of James Dean, without thinking of the wonderful man, Bill! James Dean to us is Bill! We will miss you very much Bill! You will never be forgotten! We will try to take care of Mary for you, however, NO ONE can ever do as good of a job as you did! Thank you Bill for being in Mary's life and all of ours! I know you are now playing Bingo with your mom in Heaven. Watch over all of us! We loved you lots!

Hoping your memories together sustain you in your grief. May God bless you and your family.

My condolences to all of you. Bill was a wonderful and joyful person and my heart goes out to you. Words can not express the depth of pain I feel for each of you.