Leoba Velenovsky

VELENOVSKY, LEOBA ANNA, (96) of Eastport for 31 years and of Pendennis Mount for 58 years died peacefully on August 19, 2013 at Somerford Place of Annapolis. Miss Velenovsky, the daughter of Wenceslaus and Josepha Jankowska Velenovsky was born on April 18, 1917 in Baltimore. After the family moved to Annapolis, she attended St. Mary's Elementary School and graduated in 1934 from Annapolis High School. Beginning in 1935, she was employed by Metropolitan Life Insurance at their Annapolis office on Maryland Avenue and continued with them as they expanded into an office on West Street and later an office in Crofton were she worked until she retired in 1980. Miss Velenovsky was always in motion, and enjoyed many hobbies. With her sister Eleanora and photographer Marion Warren, she was one of the earliest members of the Annapolis Camera Club. She and Eleanora are featured in Mr. Warren's Friends & Neighbors: Annapolis Portraits (Chesapeake Images: 1999). During World War II, she volunteered with the USO folding bandages and teaching first aid. A devotee of Annapolis, she was the source singer for two Annapolis songs, "Take Me Back to Old Crabtown" and a local parody of "Sweet Rosie O'Grady," which she sang on the schoolyard during her childhood. With her mother, Miss Velenovsky traveled extensively across the United States during the 1950s and 60s. They visited nearly every state in the union. Leoba was the only driver. She spoke often of her love of the American southwest, and fascinated her nieces and nephews with extensive scrapbooks from her trips. A life-long, energetic learner, after retiring she studied German at Anne Arundel Community College, and spoke often of how much she enjoyed making new friends and learning with her fellow students. She took great pride ensuring that her youngest great-nephew's vocabulary included German words as well as English. But of all her interests, Miss Velenovsky was happiest when working in her Pendennis Mount garden, which she did with zeal. Miss Velenovsky was a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church and is preceded in death by her sisters Eleanora T. Velenovsky and Beatrice V. Brice and by her brothers George W. and Edwin J. (Pat) Velenovsky. She is survived by nine nieces and nephew: Joanne M. Velenovsky of Quebec, Canada; Barbara V. Bodnar of Mascoutah, IL; Sharon V. Dickinson of Gunnison, CO; Samuel M. Brice of Annapolis, MD; George W. Velenovsky, Jr. of Evergreen, CO; Joseph O. Brice of Pasadena, MD; David S. Velenovsky of Tucson, AZ; Lisa Velenovsky Hayashi of Alexandria, VA and Scott J. Velenovsky of Montpelier, VA. A Memorial Mass will be said at 9AM on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at St. Mary's Church, 109 Duke of Gloucester Street. Interment will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to The Hospice of the Chesapeake. Online condolences may be made to www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com