Obituary of Ruth A. Lekki

Ruth ("Rudy") Ann Lekki , age 79, passed away unexpectedly at home on February 21, 2015. Ruth was born on December 12, 1935 in Rome, NY, the daughter of Charles E. and Anna M. Miller. She spent her youth on the family farm with her 7 brothers and sisters, and graduated from Oriskany Central School. Ruth eloped with the love of her life, Bernard L. Lekki, in 1959. He predeceased her in 1960. She lived with her son, the other love of her life, Bernard W. Lekki, and his wife Debra and their family. She worked at Griffiss AFB and spent several years at the Forest Service in Redding, California, returning to New York in 1983 so she could be in her grandchildren's lives. She taught herself to knit and crochet, and loved making crafts to give as gifts to family and friends. Ruth was a selfless and loving mother and grandmother, baking cookies, taking her grandchildren on day trips, organizing indoor "picnics" on rainy days. She loved snowmen and cherished any gift or treasure, her grandchildren or great grandchildren gave her. One of her favorite pastimes was making puzzles and having her "best buddy", grandson Noah, help her put them together. She will be dearly missed by all those who loved her. Ruth leaves her beloved son, Bernard W. Lekki, his wife, Debra and 6 grandchildren: Brian (Kim) Lekki of Poland, NY, Heather (Mike) Barnes, Jamesville, NY, Matthew (Amber) Lekki, Rome, NY, Alexandra, Elyssa and Noah Lekki at home. She also leaves 6 great grandchildren: Dominic, Gregory, Amelia and Joshua Lekki, and Ashley and Emma Barnes, two sisters, Susan Hutchins, Otter Lake, NY, and Mary (Steve) Clauson, Redding, California, two sisters-in-law, Marlene Miller, Rome, NY and Patricia Miller, Carmichael, California, an uncle, Vita Muto, of Zephyrhills, Florida, as well as many family members on the Lekki side, including a special sister-in-law, Adeline (Lekki) Chmielewski, and many treasured nieces and nephews, including Clarissa (Rissy) Royce, Redding, California, and Gloria Lekki-Macri, Albany, NY, as well as a special friend, Eileen Ritter, of North Carolina. Besides her husband and her parents, she was predeceased by four brothers: James, Robert, Fred and Bill Miller, sister, Grace H. Rodriguez, sister-in-law, Lorraine Miller, and brother-in-law, John Hutchins. Calling hours will be at Barry Funeral Home, 807 W. Chestnut Street, Rome, NY Tuesday, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Funeral services will take place at the Barry Funeral Home, Rome, NY on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m., with a mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Arthur Krawczenko, Pastor, at the Church of the Sacred Heart and Saint Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa, 201 Main Street, New York Mills, at 10:30am. Burial will be in the spring. Friends can consider a donation to the Oriskany Fire Department.