Leonard Maurice Fernandes

With great sadness, we announce that Leonard “Lenny” Maurice Fernandes, age 80, of Scituate, Massachusetts, passed peacefully on October 23, 2024, with his loving wife Jeanne of 54 years and family at his bedside.

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Lenny was the son of Martin and Mathilda (Gracias) Fernandes. Lenny’s father died tragically when he was only 12 years old, and so, his mother raised five children by herself, teaching them to work hard, appreciate family and value the few precious belongings they had in life. Lenny completed high school and went on to obtain expert certification in publishing. He used this training to build a successful educational publishing business and came to be known as then President Jomo Kenyatta’s publisher, working with the Kenya Government to improve access to education for children throughout the newly independent country.

As a sixth-generation African, Lenny loved Kenya deeply and embraced all aspects of living there from the close-knit Goan community and food-culture to the remarkable natural outdoor environment and safari lifestyle. Wherever he went, and whoever he met, he made friends, showed genuine interest in them, laughed, and joked, be it in English or Swahili.

Having built a comfortable lifestyle in the Parklands neighborhood of Nairobi, an attempted coup d’etat in 1982, threatened the safety of their young family. This forced the difficult decision to leave Kenya and enable Jeanne to pursue a career opportunity with Pfizer Inc. in the USA. Settling the family in Huntington CT, Lenny secured a position at Joshua Morris Publishing Inc before launching his own publishing firm, specialized in early childhood learning and inspirational literature.

We will forever remember Lenny as a well-dressed, true gentleman, with a warm caring way of making others feel important, even if they had only just met. We’ll remember his mischievous smile when joking with the kids and appointing them funny nicknames to hear them laugh and as a diligent host, preparing massive dishes of his famous pasta Bolognese, filling wine glasses and always checking if we had enough to eat.

Lenny is survived by his wife Jeanne, children Donna (husband Peter) and Nigel (wife Rosa). He was known as “Papa” to grandchildren Cole (17), Logan (15), and Isabella (11) as well as Peter’s grown children Tatiana, Erik and Katrina.

His passing will also be deeply felt by brothers Rudy (wife Hazel) and Camilo, and his sister May (husband Doug), Merlin (now-deceased) and children Lisa-Marie, Tamara, Brendan, Cheri, Martin and Janice; the Australian D’Souza and Athaide families: including sister-in-law Rebecca (husband Tony), brother-in-law Edwin (wife Althea) and their respective children - Jonathan, Jolene, Aaron, Darren and Dean.

We will always love you, Lenny.

‍A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, November 2, 2024, at St. Mary of the Nativity Church, 1 Kent Street, Scituate Massachusetts. Celebration-of-Life reception for friends and family to follow at 11:30 AM at the Scituate Harbor Yacht Club, 84 Jericho Road, Scituate.

‍The family would like to thank the staff of the Dana Farber Brigham Cancer Center and particularly the wonderful team on Emerson 6th Floor, South Shore Hospital, especially Nurse Rebecca, who provided constant care, dignity and comfort to Lenny during his final days.

Memorial donations in Lenny's name can be made to https://www.southshorehealth.org/give