Leslie Jane Popko

Leslie J. Popko, 67, passed away peacefully in her home in Stony Brook, NY on April 20, 2022.

Born August 13, 1954 to Madeline and Stanley Zatwarnicki, she grew up in Glen Head, NY before attending Marywood University. Active in the theater in college, she went on to achieve a Masters in Speech and Language Pathology, working for more than 40 years in private practice and at Developmental Disabilities Institute before retiring in 2021.

She married Kenneth Popko in 1988, and they had one son, Daniel. Quick to point out that her son told her (with a smile) that she needed to “get a life” after he left for college, she did just that. Leslie was active in the Three Village community she called home for more than 30 years, serving as a eucharistic minister at St. James Roman Catholic Church and volunteering at the Emma S. Clark Library and Theatre Three. She went for regular long walks and swims with her “Birthday Bunch” and participated in knitting groups, bible study and her regular book club.

As Charlie Chaplin once said, “a day without laughter is a day wasted.” Leslie wasted no days.

A fan of far-flung travels—whether of her own on through the pages of a good book—Leslie possessed a welcoming and adventurous spirit. She was an avid cook, baker, quilter, knitter and crafter of all kinds, loved by all who knew her kind heart, infectious smile and boisterous laughter. She was always quick to make conversation with new friends, whether at church, work, or the checkout line at the grocery store. She shared her love and generosity of spirit, baked goods and cozy knitted socks far and wide, living by the idea that friends are the family you get to choose.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Popko, and father, Stanley Zatwarnicki. She is survived by her mother, Madeline Zatwarnicki, as well as her son, Daniel Popko, daughter-in-law, Maura Ryan, and their dog, Josie, who will deeply miss Leslie’s fresh-baked treats and snuggles.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

This is the link for live service at St. James RC Church on Thursday 4/28 @ 9:30am

 https://vimeo.com/event/2059367