Leonard 'Len' DeLayo

Leonard DeLayo, 84, passed away peacefully on October 24, 2024, at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire.

Born on May 8, 1940, in Manhattan, New York to the late Leonard and Mary (Balsan) DeLayo, Len was raised in the Bronx, New York where he spent most of his younger years surrounded by family and friends in a small Italian neighborhood. It was here where his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles taught him the importance of family, and where he learned the value of true friendship, spending time with siblings and a close cousin, who was like a second brother to him.

After high school, Len enrolled in the US Army and was stationed at a few bases in the US including Fort Richardson located near Anchorage, Alaska. He was assigned to the US Army Corps of Engineers where he learned skills related to cold weather construction and designing structures for extreme weather conditions. These early experiences ignited a sense of adventure in Len, and an appreciation for wild, natural places, which he carried with him throughout his life.

After struggling a bit to find a vocation, Len landed a job with the New York Telephone Company, which later became Nynex, then Bell Atlantic and ultimately Verizon. Len built a long, beautiful career, performing many of the field jobs for the company primarily throughout Manhattan over 4 decades. While Manhattan provided the perfect backdrop for hard work and excitement that generated stories brought home to share with the family, the most rewarding part of the job was the lifelong friendships Len developed with his partners. Len had what seemed to be endless stories of the wonderful people he worked beside through the heat of the summers, freezing cold winters, and beautiful summer days. Like those early days in the Bronx, Len found himself again with his ‘family’, in a neighboring borough, working hard and experiencing life with those that he loved. Life threw some major challenges his way in his first few years out of the Army and with the company; his job, those he worked with, and some close friends guided him through those times with grace and love.

Len married his first wife in 1962, and they were blessed with a son, James DeLayo, born in 1963. Len was devasted by her early passing and found solace in work, friends and family. Despite being a single working father, Len worked hard to instill in his son the same family values he was taught early on, devoting himself to the well-being and education of his son.

Len’s path took a beautiful turn when he met Anna, introduced by a beloved family friend. They fell in love instantly and were married on June 24, 1982, in NJ. Ann had two young boys at the time and Len found himself as a stepfather. Len and Ann enjoyed many things together including music, cooking, hosting family on the holidays, Broadway plays, hiking, traveling, shopping and eating out. They were a perfect fit and developed a shared sense of humor for all that life offered. They shared these special times with friends and neighbors, some of which became lifelong friends. In 2010, they moved into their dream home in the Lakes Region of NH, a place close to those wild and natural places Len had admired over the years. Unfortunately, in their later years together, Ann’s health declined, and Len spent years determined to keep her well. After 38 years of marriage, Ann passed on in August of 2020.

Despite a severely broken heart, Len had an uncanny way of making friends wherever he went, and he continued that by meeting some special people close to home in NH. Along with two close friends from NJ that he cherished deeply, these few friends guided him through his final days. He spent those days simply longing to be back with Anna; and now they rest in peace together.

Len’s surviving family includes his two stepsons, Gabe Bolin and wife Becky of NH, and Chris Bolin of TX; three grandchildren, Emily and Margaret Bolin of NH, and Dylan DeLayo of PA; one brother, James DeLayo of NYC; one sister, Carol Smith of NYC; one cousin, Peter DeLayo of FL; two nephews, Michael and Anthony Ciccia of SC; along with many other cousins, nieces and nephews.

SERVICES: A gathering to remember Len will be held at the Homestead Restaurant in Bristol, NH on Sunday, December 8, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. To view Len’s Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.

For those that wish to honor Len’s life, consider making a donation to the Department of Rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University (https://www.hopkinsrheumatology.org/about-us/charitable-giving/) or a charity of your choice.