James Anthony Leszczynski Sr.

James Anthony Leszczynski - beloved father, grandfather, brother, friend, and world class lover decided the remote control in the great beyond had better batteries and departed this world on May 5th, 2025 at the age of 82, sadly falling just shy of his lifelong dream of entering the next life at the hands of a jealous husband.
On January 12, 1943 in Detroit Michigan, the man, the myth, the legend was born to Walter and Olga (Kovalevich) Leszczynski. Working at Wyandotte Chemicals directly out of high school, he soon traded in chemicals for criminals joining the Detroit Auxiliary police, and eventually the Southgate police department, where he retired after 25 years of service with the rank of Detective Sergeant, along with a severe coffee and donut addiction that haunted him until his very last day.
Beyond his professional life, Jim was a man of wonderfully diverse passions. A lifelong fisherman who loved passing along that knowledge as much as reeling in a fish. His fascination with the Civil War kept history alive and humorous, convincing many young family members he lost his hair due to a close call with a cannon ball. His stamp and coin collections were a testament to his meticulous side, and his loyalty to the Detroit Lions was legendary-that is, until he was actually watching a game. He was a devoted father and grandfather, willing to help and harass however he could to support those who meant the most to him.
All the women wanted him, all the men wanted to be him, and all he wanted was to make you laugh. From horror movie musicals to the Muppets, he would joyously share with you his favorite or newest thing that made him laugh. His sense of humor wasn't just a trait, but a dominant gene that was passed down to his children and grandchildren who proudly carry on the tradition of laughter always being the best medicine, with bonus points for inappropriate jokes.
He will be immensely missed for his wit, his warmth, his diverse hobbies, and his unique soundtrack of life, punctuated by frequent and random, now very much missed, jazz scat performances of King Louie's "I wanna be like you".
In true Jim fashion, when asked how he was doing, he would respond "I'm still here, and that upsets a lot of people", yet nothing could be further from the truth. This truly one of a kind and larger than life man, leaves an incredible void in the lives of those who knew and loved him. Life simply will never be the same without him and he will forever be desperately missed.
He is survived by, his brother Richard, his children James (Farrah), Walter, Chrissy (Matthew) and Sarah (Mark) his grandchildren Marius (Alyse), Maxwell (Alicia), Zachary, Jimmy and Grayson along with his first and favorite ex-wife, the "goody two shoes" to his "filthy beast" Yvonne along with his best friend and partner in crime, Turbo the attack Chihuahua.
A celebration of his life, laughter, and legacy will be held at Czopeks funeral home 2157 oak Street, Wyandotte mi on Tuesday, May 13th from 4-8pm. Please bring your best stories, your loudest laughs, and best Jim impressions to honor the legend. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 14th from 10-12, immediately followed by a procession to Woodmere cemetery
In lieu of flowers, the family ask to please consider a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project or St judes - causes dear to his heart. Or just share a joke - the dirtier, the better (he'd have wanted it that way). To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of James, please visit our Tree Store.