Mountain Witch-Alder (Fothergilla major)
Mountain Witch-Alder is one of the finest native forest shrubs in Eastern North America. It produces beautiful puffs of fragrant white flowers in the early spring and has a wonderful vase-like structure. It is typically a large shrub and usually grows about 6 to 10 feet tall with a similar spread. It has few pests and fares best in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8.
Vincent A. Lekoski
Vincent A. Lekoski
June 13, 1931 – October 20, 2018
By Judy Lekoski
Vincent “Vinny” Lekoski was a loving, kind and generous father. He and his wife, Adele, raised three children, Judy, Lori and Rick, to be independent, strong, respectful, and honorable individuals. Married for 66 years, they made their home in Warwick, NY. When they retired, they moved to Ocean City, MD, to enjoy the second chapter of their lives.
Vinny and Adele were the retired owners of Stan’s Liquors in Warwick, NY, a family-owned business. They spent most of their professional lives working in retail, managing the family’s grocery/hardware store and a self-service gas station before taking sole proprietorship of the liquor store from Adele’s father.
Vinny and Adele were active in all the communities in which they lived. Vinny was a member of St. Stephen, the First Martyr RC Church, the Warwick Jaycees, the Warwick Valley Rotary Club, and the China Road Hunting Club in New York (He loved hunting.). He was also a member of St. John Neumann RC Church, the Knights of Columbus Council 9053, the Polish American Club of Delmarva, and the Ocean City Surf Anglers Club in Ocean City, MD. Vinny and Adele were known for throwing the best annual picnics for that Polish Club complete with lots of games and delicious food.
In remembering their beloved father, the family said:
“Vincent Lekoski was a good man. He loved his wife of 66 years, his three children and grandchildren. He was kind, compassionate and was a man of faith. He was a small business owner with a strong work ethic that he instilled in his two daughters and son. “Vinny” loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He owned a boat and enjoyed hours on the waters of Greenwood Lake, NY, and Cape May, NJ. He was a craftsman with a wicked attention to detail. He made sure all his children knew how to check the oil in their cars before a long trip.”
“Vinny was proud of his Polish heritage and he and Mom made sure the Polish Club’s annual picnic was a huge success. He and Mom had wonderful friends and neighbors who brought love and laughter to their homes in Warwick, Cape May and Ocean City.”
Vinny loved his John Wayne movies, a good Black Russian cocktail, and a good steak or any Polish cuisine. Most of all, Vincent Lekoski was our dad who loved us very much.”
Our family would like to thank the staff at the Botanical Gardens for honoring our father with the Fothergilla major tree and our mother with the Chionanthus virginicus (also known as the Sweetheart Tree). They are located right next to each other in the gardens, which is quite fitting for a loving couple that spent 66 years together right by each other’s side.
We miss you Dad and Grampa.
With all our love,
Judy Lekoski, Lori Lekoski and Jack Tosi, Rick and Emily Lekoski, Matt Tosi, Marissa Tosi, and Mitch and Nathaly Lekoski
