Bessie Leale

Idabelle (Bessie) Leale of Sparkill, NY died on February 1, 2011. She was 87 years old. Bessie was born on September 14, 1923 in New York City to Andrew and Mary (Jenkins) Panos. Bessie has lived in Orangeburg since 1963 and prior Washington Heights, NY. She had been the proprietor of Leale’s Restaurant in Suffern from 1975 to 1986. Bessie was an avid reader and loved to write and cook. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother whose greatest joy came from her family. Bessie is survived by her sons Drew of Suffern, NY and Fran of Nanuet, NY; daughter Angela Argenzio of Orangeburg, NY; 6 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and her brother Andrew of Yorktown, NY. Bessie was predeceased by her husband Salvatore in 1969 and son Salvatore Jr. in 1998. The family will receive friends on Friday February 4 from 2-4 & 7-9pm at the Higgins Funeral Home in New City, NY. Religious services will be held on Saturday February 5 at Tappan Reformed Church in Tappan, NY at 10 am followed by burial at Rockland Cemetery, Sparkill, NY. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.