Leonard V. Siegfried
Leonard V. “Lenny” Siegfried, 95, of Hecktown, PA, passed away on
Sunday, February 28, 2021 at Country Meadows, of Bethlehem. He was the husband of the late Gloria M. (Meese) Siegfried, until her passing on
May 3, 2005. Lenny was born on April 4, 1925 in Fountain Hill, PA. He was the son of the late Warren W. Siegfried and Esther Mae (Fisher) Siegfried. Lenny studied machining at Bethlehem Technical High School until his drafting into the U.S. Army Air Force, where he would honorably and courageously serve during WWII. At the age of 19, Lenny was a sergeant in the Army Air Force (Fifteenth
Air Force, 460th Bomb Group, 762nd Bomb Squadron), flying as a nose turret gunner and assistant engineer in B-24 Liberator bombers. In 1944, he was shot down twice and bailed out of burning bombers to be captured by the Germans the second time. He was imprisoned at a POW camp near the Baltic Sea where he was forced to walk the Black March of 600 miles in 1945. A week before Germany’s surrender, he was liberated by the British army. Lenny has two Air Force Medals for meritorious achievement in flights, and a Purple Heart for the flak wound he suffered on October 17, 1944 the second time he had to bail out of a flaming B-24. In
1945, Lenny came home and worked for Brown-Borhek Lumber where he met Gloria, they married on May 21, 1955. During the 1950’s, Lenny was a highly regarded pitcher in the East Penn Softball League, his specialty pitch was his knuckleball. In Lenny’s retirement, he taught himself how to play golf. In 1960, Lenny got a job with Bethlehem Steel as a supervisor in the Coke Plant for 31 years until his retirement. Starting in 1960, he golfed in the Coke Plant League (Bethlehem Steel), who then recognized him in 2014 as Life-long Ambassador and Friend of Golf in the Lehigh Valley, which made his decade. In his retirement, for 15 years he managed Lower Nazareth Water Supply. Lenny was a faithful and active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, of Hecktown. He played dart baseball at Holy Trinity and for the Suburban Inter-Church Dart Baseball League on Monday nights. In 2016, Lenny was delighted to be acknowledged by the Suburban Dart League for his service and sacrifice during WWII. Lenny was a life-long member of Hecktown Fire Co., and American Legion
Post #415, of Nazareth. He was a life-long member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Aluta Lodge #488of Nazareth (and prior, the Hecktown Lodge). Overall, Lenny always kept himself busy, he loved to learn, tinker, and figure out how things worked. He was devoted to his family, a loving husband, father, brother, and “Pops”. When possible, Lenny loved watching his grandson’s youth sporting events. He is deeply missed by son, Alan D. Siegfried and his wife Patricia, of Ellicott City, MD; daughter, Tina Siegfried, of Bethlehem, PA; grandsons, Austin Siegfried and his wife Jasmine, Erik Siegfried and his wife Marissa; Valencia Biondillo; sister, Virginia Bakos; brother, Ernest G. Siegfried and his wife Debra; also by many cousins, nieces and nephews. Lenny was pre-deceased by grandson, Tyler Alan Siegfried; brothers, Harold and Walter Siegfried; sisters, Hilda Lahr, Lois Ann, and Mildred Arndt. Family and friends of Lenny are invited to a walkthrough visitation on Friday, March 5, 2021 from 10:00 AM- 11:00 AM at the Joseph F. Reichel Funeral Home Inc., 220 Washington Park, Nazareth, PA 18064. A maximum of 10 visitors will be allowed in the funeral home to pay their respects at one time, rotations will be in place to accept all visitors. A Prayer Service will follow at 11:00 AM at the funeral home presided by his brother, former Pastor Ernest G. Siegfried. Burial with Military Honors will follow at Hope Cemetery, of Hecktown. At all times, social distancing will be practiced, with the requirement of wearing face masks. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lenny’s memory to “The American Legion Post #415” and mailed to: 158 S. New St., Nazareth, PA 18064. Online condolences may be offered at www. jfreichelfuneralhome.com under his obituary.