Lenny Tosto, February 22, 1948 – August 23, 2023, died at home early on a Wednesday morning. Three days prior he was able to enjoy participating in a delightful family meal of pancakes made using his personal from-scratch recipe that he invented 30+ years ago. Guests at the meal included his wife Jessie, his son Dave with wife Audrey, his son Mike with wife Christina, and his most precious granddaughters Lydia (3) and Iris (1). The event also celebrated little Iris’ first birthday. Lenny’s loving and joyful spirit was the star of the party.
Lenny’s career as an electrical engineer in Charlottesville began working for a few years at Comdial Corp., after which he moved to Sperry Marine. At Sperry, now Northrop Grumman, Lenny enjoyed 33 years of a rewarding career as a components engineer. His diligent and competent work was appreciated by all, leading to friendships with colleagues that rose above work and lasted a lifetime. He once calculated that over the course of his career he answered over 200,000 questions, which if anything is likely to be an underestimate.
Lenny had several interests stemming from his wonderful personality. He was an inveterate animal lover, and he could never watch enough adorable animal videos that often brought him to tears. He was a lifelong supporter of numerous charities and nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping anyone in need. His favorite activity was fixing things, and he leaves behind a house full of his handiwork including: dishwasher, air conditioner, TV, radio, CD player, washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, hot water heater, lawn mowers, cars, etc. He was an avid collector of spare parts, redundant units of everything, and all information, in order to be ready for whatever might be in store.
Lenny moved to Crozet in 1984, and will be remembered by many for his friendly interactions with the community. He will be missed by all, and we will forever feel his loving presence.
A memorial will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Charlottesville Band building at 1119 5th St SW. Wear whatever you want, but this is a fun, casual event because Lenny is such a fun guy, so colorful t-shirts and shorts are encouraged. That is what his family will wear. The service will last about an hour, followed by an informal gourmet pizza lunch with drinks and gourmet cookies for dessert.
All are welcome!
