Leo Geklinski, 93, of Oak Hill Apartments, Central Street, Ipswich, died Thursday, April 14, 2011 in Beverly Hospital following a long illness.  He was the husband of the late Melanie E. (Langer) Geklinski who died in 1973.

Born in Old Forge, PA, October 1, 1917, son of the late Peter and Josephine Dzklinsky.  He attended public school, leaving school in the seventh grade to help  his mother care for his brothers and sisters during the depression. During several of these years he was a forester with the Civil Conservation Corps. Enlisting in the U.S. Army, he served in the Europeon Theatre during WWII. Honorably discharged as a sergeant, he returned to Pennsylvannia, married in 1948 and settled in Mt. Vernon, New York where he and his wife raised their family. Mr. Geklinski was employed as a machinist with Neilson Hydraulics of Mt. Vernon, from which he retired at the age of seventy. He has resided in Ipswich for the past eighteen years. Mr. Geklinski loved baseball and was an avid Yankees fan. He enjoyed bowling and woodworking, and made wonderful wooden Christmas mangers for family members, and a beautiful doll house for his granddaughter.

Leo was a communicant of Our Lady of Hope Church in Ipswich.  He is survived by his daughter, Linda Lamore of Ipswich, his son-in-law, Daniel Lamore, and three grandchildren, Heather Saulnier, her husband Arthur of Newburyport, Ryan Lamore of Lowell, and Randy Lamore of San Francisco. He was predeceased by his sisters Stella, Alice and Camella, and two brothers.
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His funeral service will be held Friday, April 22, 2011 at 11 AM in the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich, followed by interment with Military Honors in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery, Ipswich.  Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. Visiting hours are Thursday 6 to 8 PM. Memorial contributions in Leo's name may be made to the Melanoma Education Foundation, P.O. Box 2023, Peabody, MA 01960.