Let Me Introduce You To . . .

Leonard Peacock
my cousin, someone I admire, respect, look up to.
He is the real deal, authentic to the core.

Len recently clebrated his 90th birthday . . .
He was married to his Ruth for 50 years . . .
Very sad, heartbroken . . . when she died shortly after their 50 year anniversary celebration.
Len and Ruth raised four wonderful children . . . June, David, Pam, Karen . . .
Len is proud of his children, grandchildren and loves them with his whole heart, his time, his energy.

My first memory of Len was when I was a young girl and he was visiting our home in Wisconsin.
I remember vividly how excited he was to delve into the bacon my mom was cooking for breakfast.
It was then I learned Len was unable to hear but I could talk with him by writing notes back and forth.
I remember his HUGE happy laugh and his loving spirit on that visit to our home back in the forties.
Len reminds me of my dad and looks like him too . . .

Len learned from life . . . from his mother, family, teachers and many more.
My dad was one positve imprint into his life . . .
Even more so when Len was young and his dad died suddenly in a drowning accident. .

Len attended schools for hearing loss, deaf from a young age.
He went to college at Gallaudet University in Washington DC and graduated with a Bachelor Science.
Len received his Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Len taught at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, Delavan, Wisconsin, for 35 years.

Writing notes is what he does to communicate, with people who do not sign . . . like me,
but signing is the way of most of his communication.
Being with Len and his family . . . you’ll see their hands, fingers fly in communcation . . .
Hearing loss skipped a generation and reappeared with some of the grandchildren.
Connection and communication is key for us all.
Isn’t it wonderful that Sign Language became possible . . .

Len is very athletic, played basketball and football.
He also coached both sports for a bit through the years.
Len walks every day and every morning has a routine of doing sit ups, push ups and stretches.
Golf is a favorite and weather permitting, he golfs at least 3 times a week.

Mister Irish and I enjoyed having Len visit us here in Michigan a few years ago.
I couldn’t figure out the noises i would hear early each morning . . .
i inquired . . . pushups, sit ups, stretches . . .
Handsome and fit I tell you!!!

He was a boy scout and an eagle scout.
He received his silver bever for his years of service as a scout master.

Ninety years he is . . .
His family planned a surprise birthday gathering for him a few days after Thanksgiving.
Len’s daughter Pam shared this note . . .

“Yes, he was very surprised! We got him good. He also made us work for it.... we found out on Thanksgiving day that he had plans to go to a party in Milwaukee on Saturday night. You should have seen the look on Karen's and June's faces when he told us. We just laughed that a 90 year old has a bigger social life then the rest of us. We managed to guilt him to staying and having dinner with his grand kids.”

HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY LEN . . .
Hugs and Love ~
Cousin Lynne

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Photos provided by Len’s daughter Pam . . .