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June 3, 2026
Services
Family and friends are invited to gather for Memorial Visitation at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:45 PM. Visitation will be followed by a brief Funeral Service beginning at 3:45 PM in the funeral home.
Joseph A. Leskowits, age 82, of Wayne, passed away on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Joe was the second son of John and Bertha (Green) Leskowits, born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1943. Raised in North Haledon, he excelled as an athlete and especially loved baseball. Joe couldn't wait to be a licensed driver and walked all the way from North Haledon to the Wayne DMV to take his driving test and secure his license. He graduated from Manchester Regional High School with the Class of 1961 and had the distinction of being part of the very first graduating class.
After high school, he started to work for Gross and Hecht Trucking as a helper to other drivers which led to a long and dedicated career as a tractor trailer driver for the company (later purchased by Penske Logistics), the exclusive grocery hauler for A&P grocery stores. Joe rarely missed a day of work and often put in overtime hours. Over the course of more than forty years behind the wheel, Joe logged an incredible five million miles throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland without ever having a single accident.
In his spare time, Joe found both peace and excitement in trout fishing. A devoted catch-and-release fisherman, he eagerly welcomed trout season each year from mid-April through the end of May. At home, Joe took great pride in tending to the property and maintained a pristine lawn often earning compliments from anyone who drove past. In retirement, Joe found leisure and comfort in his morning routine- a black coffee from Quick Check, a lottery scratcher, and breakfast at the diner. Joe had a sharp memory and a nostalgic love of doo wop music and could name any song title and artist from the genre when listening to oldies radio.
More than anything else, Joe’s family was his greatest joy. He met his wife, Veronica Bond, in upstate New York in 1975. It must have been love, because Joe regularly drove from North Haledon, New Jersey to Queens, New York just to spend time with Veronica. They exchanged wedding vows on July 17, 1977 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Veronica’s hometown of Floral Park.
Joe and Veronica were blessed with two children, Joseph and Kristin, who in turn blessed Joe with three grandchildren whom he absolutely adored. First came the twins, Katherine and Emily, in November 2018. Joe treasured the many Fridays he spent with them while their parents were at work. He would happily play “waitress” or “school” with the girls and sweetly ask for a kiss on the cheek as “payment of the toll” before allowing them to pass by the couch. Most recently in November 2025, Joe was ecstatic to welcome his first grandson, James, often saying, “Grandpa loves him very much,” and “Love isn’t even the word!” when describing the way he felt about him.
Joe was the beloved husband of Veronica, blessed in marriage for 49 years. He was the loving father of Joe Leskowits and wife Laura of Wayne, and Kristin McGovern and husband Jim of Olyphant, Pennsylvania; the adoring grandfather of twin granddaughters Katherine and Emily Leskowits and grandson James McGovern; the brother of John Leskowits of Port Charlotte, Florida and the brother-in-law of the late Sharan Leskowits; the cherished uncle of Bonnie Patania and Mark Leskowits; and the dear son-in-law of the late John “Jack” Bond and the late Ethel Bond.
Family and friends are invited to gather for Memorial Visitation at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:45 PM. Visitation will be followed by a brief Funeral Service beginning at 3:45 PM in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Joe’s memory to:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105
or
Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
2361 Hylan Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10306
If you will be mailing a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE FORM.
If you will be mailing a donation to Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE FORM.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Family and friends are invited to gather for Memorial Visitation at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:45 PM. Visitation will be followed by a brief Funeral Service beginning at 3:45 PM in the funeral home.
June 3, 2026
Services
Family and friends are invited to gather for Memorial Visitation at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:45 PM. Visitation will be followed by a brief Funeral Service beginning at 3:45 PM in the funeral home.
Joseph A. Leskowits, age 82, of Wayne, passed away on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Joe was the second son of John and Bertha (Green) Leskowits, born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1943. Raised in North Haledon, he excelled as an athlete and especially loved baseball. Joe couldn't wait to be a licensed driver and walked all the way from North Haledon to the Wayne DMV to take his driving test and secure his license. He graduated from Manchester Regional High School with the Class of 1961 and had the distinction of being part of the very first graduating class.
After high school, he started to work for Gross and Hecht Trucking as a helper to other drivers which led to a long and dedicated career as a tractor trailer driver for the company (later purchased by Penske Logistics), the exclusive grocery hauler for A&P grocery stores. Joe rarely missed a day of work and often put in overtime hours. Over the course of more than forty years behind the wheel, Joe logged an incredible five million miles throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland without ever having a single accident.
In his spare time, Joe found both peace and excitement in trout fishing. A devoted catch-and-release fisherman, he eagerly welcomed trout season each year from mid-April through the end of May. At home, Joe took great pride in tending to the property and maintained a pristine lawn often earning compliments from anyone who drove past. In retirement, Joe found leisure and comfort in his morning routine- a black coffee from Quick Check, a lottery scratcher, and breakfast at the diner. Joe had a sharp memory and a nostalgic love of doo wop music and could name any song title and artist from the genre when listening to oldies radio.
More than anything else, Joe’s family was his greatest joy. He met his wife, Veronica Bond, in upstate New York in 1975. It must have been love, because Joe regularly drove from North Haledon, New Jersey to Queens, New York just to spend time with Veronica. They exchanged wedding vows on July 17, 1977 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Veronica’s hometown of Floral Park.
Joe and Veronica were blessed with two children, Joseph and Kristin, who in turn blessed Joe with three grandchildren whom he absolutely adored. First came the twins, Katherine and Emily, in November 2018. Joe treasured the many Fridays he spent with them while their parents were at work. He would happily play “waitress” or “school” with the girls and sweetly ask for a kiss on the cheek as “payment of the toll” before allowing them to pass by the couch. Most recently in November 2025, Joe was ecstatic to welcome his first grandson, James, often saying, “Grandpa loves him very much,” and “Love isn’t even the word!” when describing the way he felt about him.
Joe was the beloved husband of Veronica, blessed in marriage for 49 years. He was the loving father of Joe Leskowits and wife Laura of Wayne, and Kristin McGovern and husband Jim of Olyphant, Pennsylvania; the adoring grandfather of twin granddaughters Katherine and Emily Leskowits and grandson James McGovern; the brother of John Leskowits of Port Charlotte, Florida and the brother-in-law of the late Sharan Leskowits; the cherished uncle of Bonnie Patania and Mark Leskowits; and the dear son-in-law of the late John “Jack” Bond and the late Ethel Bond.
Family and friends are invited to gather for Memorial Visitation at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:45 PM. Visitation will be followed by a brief Funeral Service beginning at 3:45 PM in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Joe’s memory to:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105
or
Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
2361 Hylan Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10306
If you will be mailing a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE FORM.
If you will be mailing a donation to Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE FORM.
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