Well, the Old Man finally did it. After nearly half a century of cheating death Leo V. Verzani III, left us all for the greatest adventure there is, on October 6, 2025.

Born on January 28,1944; to Leo Verzani II and Mary E. McCormick of Harrison Street, Chicago. He is preceded in death by his beloved parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.

Leo’s dance and ongoing duel with death began during the polio epidemic when his sister Joanne was infected and through; only her mother’s stubbornness and tenacity, survived. He fully inherited this trait and passed it on to subsequent generations in spades.

His dance with death continued when he enlisted in the Air force National Guard and served during the Vietnam Conflict as a microwave tower and ground radio equipment repair specialist in France. Much to his lifelong dismay, far from the reach of bullets and armed conflict.

When he returned in 1967 Leo went into computer technology at IBM. He serviced computer networks in Chicago when they were the size of mini malls with coded punch cards and a travel tool kit. Always on the cutting edge of technology, he had the first of everything – the first home desktop computer, the first pager, the first text machine – the size of a box of Kleenex. He retired from IBM after 30 years but it took him retiring 2 more times and 15 years for it to stick. He loved to tinker.

He survived car fires, south side crime, hookers trying to hitch a ride and the Costco Brat Diabolical of 2022. He mastered DOS, all manner of Coding, 8 tracks, cassettes, CDs, digital downloads and the cloud. Sadly; he was incapable of figuring out how to use his smart phone, when his flip phone became obsolete in 2024.. “Who needs a phone that takes pictures? Nobody”. Direct quote. If you went unanswered, it isn’t personal, he truly didn’t know how to open your text / photo / gif.

In 1980 most of his colon was removed. Then; some more, and some more. Fart jokes are a family requirement. Followed by cancer, another kind of cancer, a third kind of cancer, & a fourth. Further gastrointestinal surgeries, then, a few more. He was, as previously mentioned, stubborn and tenacious. He inexplicably lived when doctors assured us he wouldn’t, every single time.

In the middle of it all; his hip replacement went wrong & an antibiotic resistant infection spread to his spine. Doctors assured us he wouldn’t live; or if he did, he wouldn’t walk again. They were wrong, again. He did both and stayed with us a few more decades. He was that stubborn and tenacious. Or maybe it was Mom, she never left his side – ever. A dynamo.

Leo could and did fix mostly everything. Computers, cars, Washing machines, vacuums, lamps, anything… even teenage & adult broken hearts.

He loved spending our inheritance on travel, Cruises, spoiling Kathleen & really… stupid stuff. Throughout his entire adult life, he only disliked one neighbor and that guy turned out to be a serial killer.

The way he & our mother doted on each other was disgustingly cute, It embarrassed us for years. All the hand holding and kissing, squishing us with love. Really? At their age! Yuk.

Now we all embarrass our own loved ones in the same exact manner. We love LOUDLY, obnoxiously & spread kindness like confetti. It sticks, if you do it right… & multiplies, infinitely.

We, his children, will all continue to be haunted for the rest of our lives by the “kids praise” tape played on continuous repeat during the entire drive to Florida and back. We are grateful for a thousand memorable adventures filled with alligators walking through our tents, Canadian border security, too many raccoons, alligators, whales and bear encounters to mention. Once the grandchildren arrived, Multi-generational international trips with extended family and friends. Open bar passes and day trips for everyone. Inca Ruins, the Mexican Riviera, Bahamas, the Inner Passage, Germany, the Mediterranean. Leo knew how to have a good time.

Honestly, He almost died on us so many times – we have frankly lost count. When we called family to let them know he was ACTUALLY dying this time, no one believed us. A few people laughed and we didn’t really believe it ourselves – but unlike previous times, this is not a ploy to avoid creditors or old girlfriends.

I’m not sure how things work in your family, but in ours: “What the Old Man wants, the Old Man gets”! He wanted to be at home when he passed, so Kelly and Mom made it happen. Denied so many beloved food for years, he ate and drank whatever he desired at the end, because: “What will it do, Kill me”?

Everyone dressed as bananas to enter in the banana blitz, all the bananas he could eat. Brandy, Pot Roast, Potatoes, wine, bottomless manhattans, doughnuts and all the bananas he wanted.

Knowing how stubborn he was, we settled in with him at home, for what we expected would be weeks. Instead, Leo Verzani III died quickly and peacefully at home after just a few days. Having visited and been surrounded by all the people he loved best in this world and the next.

Leo lived his entire life honorably, with humor and to its fullest. Every moment a blessing, a minute more to savor and explore. He taught all around him to do the same, by example.

He is survived by his wife of 53.5 years, Kathleen Finger-Kress. His children Jerry (Natasha), Mary (Timothy), Kelly, Katie (Steve) & Leo IV (Shannon). His 13 grandchildren, Ricky, Kyle (Joshi), Timothy, Sofia, Robert, Lexie, Johnna, Orion, Joshua, Lydia, Kathleen, Marisa, Michelle and his great grandchild Robyn. All of whom are just as stubborn, tenacious and loving as he was.

We seek solace in the community of family and friends the Old Man, Himself, Leo Verzani III, has built for us, and taught us to build for ourselves. Intergenerational relationships spanning decades, with the Crissey’s, the Monihan’s / McDougall’s, the Racanelli’s, the Pizzicaro’s, the Kuesis’s, the Ivinjack’s, the Russell’s, the McCormack’s…. too many to mention. If we invited you a second time – you are family and are expected to help w/ the dishes. In the last sentence of his will he wanted all of us to know “I’ve enjoyed my life, now go enjoy yours”.

He was most likely welcomed into the afterlife with Sunday Gravy, homemade ravioli, crusty bread with plenty of butter. Limoncello, music, laughter and a few gallons of Carlos Rossi.

Thanks for making a way for us, Old Man, we will all see you on the other side.