Obituary of Leonard Casimir Malinowski

Leonard Casimir Malinowski died of coronary issues on June 30, 2020 at his home surrounded by family.

He leaves behind his faithful wife of 65 years, Agatha, and four sons: Paul, David (deceased), Daniel and Mark. He had eight siblings, four grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Leonard was born on May 28, 1928 in Mahanoy City, PA. He attended Penn State on a journalism scholarship. He spent seven years studying for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary in Norwalk, CT where he earned a PHD in theology. He then worked for the Malhame Company in New York City as their #1 salesman selling rosaries and missals. In 1954, Leonard met his future wife Agatha at a dance on Long Island. They were shocked to learn that they were both from the same area of the Coal Region and shared the same last name, but were not related. Leonard would always tell people that he took his wife's name when they were married, thus endearing him to countless women.

In the 60's, Leonard started his own company called Spiritan Arts. With 16 hour workdays, he and Agatha made Spiritan Arts a success for the next 50 years as they sold religious articles in the US and internationally. Leonard always regarded the business as a ministry in spreading the Christian faith, which he did to thousands of folks over a six decade long career as an honest and beloved salesman. Leonard was a 50 year member of Our Lady of Victory Church. He would go to Mass an hour early to hold the door open to greet everyone. After Mass he was always the last to leave talking and joking with everyone. He attended daily Mass and said the rosary every night. He made weekly visits to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament even in a wheelchair. He was filled with charity for others. He brought Holy Communion to the sick and dying, visited nursing homes and completely forgave anyone who had wronged him. He remembered everyone's birthday. He'd say "Today is six months until your birthday." His hobbies included watching Westerns and listening to classical music, particularly opera, which he attended all over Europe. He liked Impressionist art and reading the poetry of Gerald Manley Hopkins. He was an esteemed amateur photographer who devoted hours to developing pictures in a darkroom. His favorite place on earth was Santa Fe, NM which he visited countless times. He delighted in eating out in restaurants, respected waiters and waitresses and always left an enormous tip. Leonard brought a smile everywhere and to everyone he met. When being treated for cancer, he'd walk into the chemotherapy suite (usually a somber place) and in five minutes he'd have all the nurses and patients smiling and laughing. When anyone would ask him how he was feeling he'd say, "Terrible! What are you going to do about it?" with a grin.

Leonard delighted in seeing the churches and shrines of France, making many visits to Paris, Chartres, Lourdes and Lisieux, the home of St. Therese. His bedroom was a tribute to her with dozens of statues, photos and books about the Little Flower. Like St. Therese, Leonard wanted to suffer on behalf of others and he surely did. His last six years were one ailment and affliction after another: stroke, heart attack, pneumonia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancer, 15 major falls, two broken backs, a broken hip replacement, and several stays in the ICU and rehab. Through all this adversity Leonard never complained, never lost his affable demeanor, never took painkillers, never gave up. He faithfully did all his exercises and therapy and always came back from every setback stronger than ever. He suffered a major stroke Dec 24, 2019. At the hospital he was misdiagnosed with dehydration until it was too late to give him the clot busting drug that might have saved him. Six neurologists then came to his family and said that Leonard would always be a "vegetable" and would "never speak again". They strongly urged he be placed in a nursing home to live out the few days they said he had left. Instead Paul and Agatha took Leonard home where he was lovingly cared for in familiar surroundings for the next six months. It was here that Leonard defied the odds and made his greatest comeback of all. Proving all those doctors very wrong, Leonard DID recover his ability to speak and talk, regained the use of his limbs and was relearning how to walk when his indomitable heart finally gave out. In his last six years, and particularly his last six months, Leonard gave all who saw him a lesson in courage, hope, perseverance and the power of prayer. His refusal to accept defeat and his willingness to look death in the eye numerous times and not blink showed that NO ONE is ever to be written off, NO ONE is to be left behind and NO ONE is ever to be forgotten.

We thank the good Lord with blessing us with Leonard. He was one in a million! His family would like to acknowledge his oncologist, Dr. Nilesh Patel, and his superb team of nurses who enabled Leonard to completely defeat stage 4 lymphoma. Our gratitude goes to his long time physical therapist, Julie Supp of Hollidaysburg, who helped him recover many times. Appreciation to the Ferguson Township Police Department for their kind assistance with numerous ambulance calls. Thank you to Mayme Gigl and Matthew Moore, Leonard's best friends, for their love and support. We salute Houck Home Care for providing 3 marvelous caregivers: Hunter Clair, Carol Tower and Larry Gashaw. Larry made a 300 mile round trip during the height of the covid crisis to get a Hoyer Lift for Leonard's rehabilitation and would not accept a penny in payment. One of the finest acts of charity we have ever seen!!!! In-Home Services of Lewistown and Susan Stuter of Reedsville also gave excellent care for Leonard.

His funeral Mass will be Thursday, December 3 at 10am at Our Lady of Victory Church, State College. All are welcome with masks. Burial will be in the family plot in Mahanoy City at a later date. Instead of flowers we ask that you have a Mass said for Leonard and also pray for his soul and all the Holy Souls in Purgatory to which he was so devoted. Online condolences to www.kochfuneralhome.com.