Goodbye, Uncle Leo, thanks for the laughs

[skymama 35]

It is being reported that Len Lesser, most well known for playing Uncle Leo on Seinfeld, has passed away.

This news is important for us, because he is the dad of our very own Michele.

Michele, I am so sorry for your loss, I know you loved your dad so much. Please know that we are thinking of you and know that if I was there I'd be giving you a big hug.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[jimmytavino 16]

+ 1

......

jmy

[jceman 1]

I know neither of us post here much any more, Michele, but I hope you see this and know that we are thinking of you and will do what we can to help you through this trying time.

Your Dad seemed like quite a man to be around; I know he meant a lot to you and and it seems you meant a lot to him.

Be strong, but let yourself cry - then go on to keep making him proud of you.

Goodbye, Mr. Lesser. Godspeed.

[cocheese 0]

A great man with an awesome daughter. Big hugs to Michele. Lots of love.

[dropdeded 0]

Saw notice of his passing just now online and immediately thought of Michele's huge heart, sincerely wish you and yours peace, love and acceptance.

Ed

------------------------------------------
The Dude Abides.
-

[lawrocket 3]

My condolences to Michele.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[flyangel2 2]

Haven't talked with Michele in forever. But know I'm thinking of you. Michele, you now have a wonderful angel watching over you as you move forward in your career taking care of other people.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[Nightingale 0]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Michele.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/02/16/len.lesser.obit/index.html?iref=NS1


(CNN) -- Veteran actor Len Lesser died in his sleep Wednesday morning in Burbank, California, of complications from pneumonia. He was 88.

"It was very peaceful," his daughter, Michele Lesser, told CNN, saying the family had hoped for a quick and painless death. "He was a great grandpa, and an amazing father. He had a heart of gold -- and a sense of humor of platinum."

Best known as Jerry Seinfeld's Uncle Leo on TV's "Seinfeld," Lesser made more than 500 film, television and stage appearances. His TV roles ranged from "Studio One in Hollywood" in 1949 to a 2009 role on "Castle."

In addition to "Seinfeld," he had a recurring role as Garvin on "Everybody Loves Raymond." He also appeared on "ER," "Mad About You," "Thirtysomething," "Falcon Crest," "Quincy M.E.," "The Rockford Files," "Kojak," "The Bob Newhart Show," "The Mod Squad," "Green Acres," "All In The Family," "The Monkees," "Get Smart," "My Favorite Martian," "Ben Casey" and "The Untouchables."

Lesser's films included "Gallipoli," "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and "Kelly's Heroes."

Lesser also served in the Army during World War II.

In addition to his daughter Michelle, Lesser is survived by a son, David, David's wife Julie and the couple's three children.

[Amazon 7]

RIP Uncle Leo


Michelle I am sorry for your loss.

May your dad RIP

[stevebabin 0]

Michelle, You're in our thoughts...

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[Kris 0]

Michelle, huge condolences and prayers headed your way. *hug*

He definitely brought a smile to my face with his acting.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[Ashtanga 0]

RIP, Uncle Leo. Sorry for your loss Michele.

[Kramer 0]

Wanted to drop by to say sorry for the loss Michele. I thought of you when I saw an article about his passing. You once sent me a personalized autographed pic from him. As a huge Seinfeld fan, it meant the world to me. I still have it. Sorry for your loss. He made a lot of people laugh in his life and seems to have went peacefully at an old age. I'd call that a success.

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[legalart 0]

So sad to hear this Michele. At least you have no doubt how much he cherished you.

[jtval 0]

Quote

It is being reported that Len Lesser, most well known for playing Uncle Leo on Seinfeld, has passed away.

This news is important for us, because he is the dad of our very own Michele.

Michele, I am so sorry for your loss, I know you loved your dad so much. Please know that we are thinking of you and know that if I was there I'd be giving you a big hug.

Sorry for your loss, Michele.

My photos

My Videos

[TitaniumLegs 8]

Quote

Michele, I am so sorry for your loss.

+1
[[[(((<<>>)))]]]

(>o|-<

If you don't believe me, ask me.

[mnealtx 0]

My thoughts are with you, Michele.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[ImGunnaJump 0]

Michelle...I haven't been on here in forever, but like the others, thought of you when I heard the news and wanted to extend my deepest sympathies.

"...I've learned that while the "needs" in life are important (food, water, shelter), it's the "wants" in life (ice cream, chocolate, sex) that make it worth the effort." Kbordson

[n2skdvn 0]

As every one has said Michelle you were the first person i thought of when i got the news. my prayers are with you.

if my calculations are correct SLINKY + ESCULATOR = EVERLASTING FUN
my site

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Uncle Leo was an awesome character on the show, my condolences to Michelle and the rest of his friends and family

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[nanook 1]

My condolences, Michele.

_____________________________

"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never know if they are genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

[BikerBabe 0]

*hugs* to Michelle, i also thought of you and hurried to post here.

I'm so sorry for your loss, i know how much you loved and took care of him.

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

[wmw999 2,371]

Aw Michele, I'm so sorry.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Michele 1]

Thank you, 'Mama, for this.

It's taken months for me to come here, to let myself hear from you, some of my oldest friends. It's taken months for me to start to recover.

Shit, it's taken months for me to start to breathe again.

As I struggled through my last semester of nursing school (I'd failed it the first go-round, and busted ass the second time...), it was a period of unknowing; of insecurity, of self-doubt, of struggle and fight and sleepless nights.

Throughout, my Dad would call, send me notes in the mail, sent me flowers after a big exam (whether I'd done well or not...). He once left a teddy bear on my front porch.

It was a time of decline for him; he'd lost his driver's license due to confusion/hypoxia, and he was fighting to get it back. He'd stopped eating much, so I got 4 crockpots, and would make something for him every day; before school, at 5:30 or so, I'd sneak into his house, plug it in, and he'd have something for dinner that night.

Still, he'd schedule Dr. visits for when I could go with him. He said he felt safer with two medical people (me and his Dr) discussing his needs in front of him like he wasn't there. LOL. He'd bitch and moan, complain and gripe, and then we'd go to the deli, where he'd hold court, waving a pickle at passersby, signing autographs and listening to fans tell him things.

He'd always say "wow, I'm surprised. They remember Uncle Leo...that was years ago." We'd get chocolate shakes, and then go home...him to his house, me to mine.

I graduated nursing school December 20. December 21, we did our Christmas shopping, and December 22, we flew to Oregon to spend Christmas with my brother and his family.

Dad was frail, and had a hard time with the cold. While he loved being in Oregon, it was too cold for him, so when we came back to CA on December 27th, he was so grateful to be warm again, to sleep in his own bed...and to drive. He'd gotten his license back, you see, and was so damned proud of that. He didn't need to rely on anyone; he was independent again.

I was busy trying to recover from the pressure of finals, of completing nursing school. Dad and I went to a movie, but other than that, not too much together. I was busy sleeping, and while I maintained the food delivery service, I did a lot of just trying to relax. We did spend New Year's together, and he gave me a kiss for luck in the coming year, and told me "you are going to be the most important nurse I know."

In mid-January, I got a call from his roommate at about 6 am. Dad had fallen at some point during the night, and had spent the night on the bathroom floor. He was only semi-conscious. The ambulance was called, and I met them at the house.

I did a fast assessment, spoke with the medics, and decided Dad was going in to the hospital. He was in serious trouble; he was not quite "with it", and didn't remember falling, and asked me what the medics were doing there.

When we got to the hospital, his blood oxygen levels were at 71% (normal is +95%, and anything under 80 is a serious emergency). We got him on O2, but he lost consciousness anyway. We got the diagnosis: pneumonia in both lungs, unknown infective agent. Dehydration. Malnutrition. And of course, the cancer had wreaked havoc. He also was in atrial fibrillation.

Two days later, he was in ICU in respiratory failure. Somehow, even though we could hear him breathing 20 feet away, he managed to pull through that episode. I was at the hospital at all times, at his side, staying with him. I made him eat, I bullied him into letting the nurses take his blood (he had a horrible fear of needles...hated them).

He got transferred, and was making progress on the oncology floor. Two weeks later, he was transferred to a long term care facility, so he could rehab and come home. I was with him all the time, and when he started to deteriorate again and I asked him if he wanted to go to the hospital for more treatment, he yelled at me and said we'd talk later.

I brought my brother down Feb. 14, and a friend picked him up at the airport at 10 pm. David, my brother, stayed overnight with Dad, and then, in the morning, I joined David and Dad. The decision was made to not take extraordinary measures should the worst happen, and I did the paperwork. I cried the whole time, and didn't believe he was dying. He was sick - very sick. But he was my Dad, and he'd fight back from this.

I got the call that he'd stopped breathing and was unresponsive at just about 8:35 am on 2/16. I flew through the rain and traffic, and was at his side only 10 minutes later. He'd eaten breakfast, and then went back to sleep...and just stopped breathing. When I was a child, and was frightened, he'd hold me, and I'd listen to his heart. I held him that morning after he'd passed, held him, listened for his heart; I heard silence where once I heard love. I heard silence, and hot tears branded my face. He had passed, you see; my Daddy had died.

In the flurry after that, I don't recall much. I know things got taken care of, and that people came in from all over the US - and one from Canada. I know that the media was, surprisingly and pleasingly, respectful and treated us very well.

I know that his funeral was attended by over 300 people, and it was not a public event. I know that his burial was private, and enormously difficult for me - at one point, I was unable to breathe, as his casket was lowered into the ground, through the silence of the early morning...silence except for a single bird singing...singing Dad home. I know that the bird kept singing, through Kadish, through prayers, and through the end of the ceremonies.

The hollow thumping of dirt onto the casket will always fill my mind. The solemn faces of his grandchildren, the tears on the face of the Rabbi, the grief etched onto my brother's face will never be erased, no matter what.

And the pain, the utter, complete, overwhelming pain of loss, of irrevocable separation, will always be present for me. I don't know if it will become less sharp; if over time, this pain will be less penetrating, less overwhelming, less devastating. I know that I am able to get through my days now, but I still have a shock - that thrill of remembrance, the pit of my belly turning - when I remember that Dad has passed away.

My days, full as they are, are not bright. There is a dullness to the sunshine, a tarnish to the shimmer of sunlight on water. The roses I've planted for him are in full, glorious bloom, but I can't bear to smell their scent.

I laid a memorial stone at the foot of the walkway at his house (I've moved here...) on Father's Day. It reads:

Father, Friend
Len Lesser
1922 - 2011
If love could have saved you,
You would have lived forever.

I see it each time I come home. Everyone who comes to the front door sees it. Dad lives, if only in my memories, tucked into my heart. He lives, and if love could have saved him, he'd still be here, holding court at the deli, waving a pickle in greeting to his fans.

I miss him more than I can even begin to articulate. Someday, they say, I'll be able to make my peace with his passing. I think that's the day I see him again, someday, in heaven, where there are no tears, no pain, no sorrow.

I miss my Dad.

Thanks for this thread, Mama, and everyone. I know I've been absent for a while; for you to have remembered he and I made me both cry and be pleased. Forgive my inability to post until now....it's been very, very difficult in my world.

Best to you all,
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[jceman 1]

Peace