Leonard A. "Lenny" Terranova

Leonard A “Lenny” Terranova was born on January 30, 1933, in Roosevelt, Long Island, New York.  He went to school in Baldwin Long Island, playing the drums with the marching band in High School where he developed a friendship with the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad, Lois Hiltz.   Little did either of them know that their friendship would grow into a romance and a marriage that lasted almost 67 years.

Lenny was a hard worker from an early age.  He started as a caddy at a local golf course on Long Island.  He enlisted in the Army in 1953 and served honorably in Korea as a radio operator. Upon his discharge, he joined the family owned “Terranova’s Nursery and Florist” in Baldwin, where he found his passion for plants and flowers.  He was very proud of his ability to recall the full Latin names for all plants he came across. 

In the late 1960s, he moved his family to Otis MA to buy the local grocery store, where he learned to be a butcher from the previous owner, Charlie Humason.  After selling the store in the late 1970s, he worked for Friendly’s Ice Cream, managing several locations including the Lee Friendly’s, and, finally, as the “Pizza Man” at Price Chopper in Great Barrington.  Although he enjoyed the many work hats he wore over his lifetime, his Hot Dog Cart (LT’s Franks) gave him the most pleasure in his later years.

Lenny was an avid fisherman and hunter from his early years on Long Island through his Senior years.  He always had bird dogs that he trained, with a special liking for German Shorthair Pointers.  His love of fishing took him on many rivers, lakes and ocean adventures, with many trips to Polaski NY with an ever-changing contingency of fishing cronies.  He told many good fish stories but his true fishing claims to fame were catching a 32 lb. Striped Bass on the Hudson River fishing with Doug Baker and a 54 lb. Striped Bass on the Long Island Sound fishing with his good fishing buddy, Al Myers. 

He loved to play cards and was known to gamble now and then…many trips to Las Vegas with his wife, brother and sister-in-law, local casinos including a couple of trips to MGM Casino in Springfield as recent as this past Spring.  He missed the weekly card games and was happy when the local guys put together a few Friday night games for him.

Lenny was very involved in the local community of Otis having been a Town Selectman, a member of the Cemetery Commission and the Election Warden for many, many years.

Lenny is survived by his sister, Shirley Caristo, his brother and sister-in-law, Andrew and Maria Terranova, his children: Patty, Michael and Lenny (Terranova); his grandchildren: Nathan (Litchfield), Mariah and Carly (Terranova), his Great-Grandchildren: Adele and Aster (Litchfield), and Brayden (Nelson) and many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

He was predeceased by his parents, Leonard and Mary, his brother, Anthony and his beloved wife, Lois.

You touched many lives and will be deeply missed, Zippy.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Otis Rescue Squad are suggested by the family, and may be mailed to the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main St., Lee, MA 01238.