F. Leonardo Spano passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at the age of 95, with family by his side. Visitation will be held at the Prout Funeral Home of Verona, 370 Bloomfield Avenue, on Monday, May 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be offered on Tuesday, May 22, at Our Lady of the Lake Church at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.
Known as “Lenny” to family and friends, he was born in the beautiful village of San Nicola d’Ardore, Reggio Calabria in southern Italy on January 31, 1923. He was one of ten children of Seraphina and Luigi Spano. As a young adult he lived in Naples, and later, the northern Italian city of Turin for several years. In 1954 he married Josephine Polichemi, and later that year moved to the United States where they lived in Jersey City. In 1966, he proudly became an American citizen. Lenny worked primarily in Port Newark for the Ellison Terminal Co. until his retirement in 1988.
In 1999, he and his wife moved to Verona, where he lived until his passing. He enjoyed listening to opera, growing vegetables, and watching his grandchildren play baseball. He had a true passion for winemaking, annually producing various varieties and blends. Lenny lived a long and blessed life and was a friend to all.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Josephine, son Joseph and his wife Eileen of Verona, two loving grandsons, Joseph of Dallas, TX, and Kevin of Hoboken, N.J., son Anthony and his wife Annette of Secaucus, N.J., a sister, Ida Mordacci of Bologna, Italy and many nieces, nephews and relatives in both the United States and Italy. He was predeceased by his oldest son Louis in July 2012 and by eight brothers and sisters in Italy.
