Leon emigrated to the US at the age of 17 with his mother and siblings and settled in Chicago. Leon was proud to serve in the US Army during the Vietnam Era and continued to participate in Veterans Day and Memorial Day events as well as serve as an election poll volunteer. Leon and Lila, both single widowed parents of young children, met, married, and began life as a blended family in 1970. Leon attended Triton College and supported his family as a Tool and Die Maker. They raised their family in Park Ridge where Leon was often found in his workshop making or fixing things and if you even mentioned a project, he would show up with his tools ready to work. He had a quick wit and a glimmer in his blue eyes when he teased and joked with his family and friends and he always had a smile and a nod for whomever he met. Leon adored his grandchildren and loved to spend time with them. Leon and Lila really enjoyed traveling together and were able to visit both their home countries of France and Poland as well as travel to Hawaii, Canada, Alaska, Spain, England, Belgium, Netherlands, the Caribbean, and Mexico. They moved back to Chicago in 2000 and lived in the home built in 1920 by Lila’s Great Aunt, where Leon continued to use his skills and make upgrades.
He will be dearly missed and is survived by his beloved wife Lila (nee Fiedosiuk) Kudzin; his treasured children Peter Kudzin, Lola (nee Kudzin) Rivera, and Agnes (nee Kragiel) Scheltens; cherished grandchildren Nicolaas, Natalia, Matthew, Sabrina, Andrew, and Grace; his dear siblings Alexandre, Monique, Michel, Marcel, Elaine; and fond uncle to many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Constantin Kudzin and Elisabeth (nee Rapior) Kudzin, by his siblings Isabelle and Jean-Pierre, and by his late wife Franciszka “Barbara” (nee Bortnik) Kudzin.
Memorial service will be on Friday May 14, 2021 at 3pm to 8pm at Malec Funeral Home 6000 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago. Mass will be held at St. Elizabeth of the Trinity at 10am on Saturday May 15.
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