Leonard J Sommers

A wise person once said, that to write something well, you have to write what you know. Who is Leonard "Sonny" Sommers? This is what we know.
Sonny was born on July 15, 1936, to Polish parents in their devoutly Catholic home. Sophie (nee Schultz) and Leo Sommers raised their children, in the early years, in Bayonne, NJ.
After years in Bayonne, the Sommers family journey took them to Camden to the vibrant "Polish Section" in Whitman Park as their family continued to grow. Sonny's time at St. Joseph's High School was marked by exciting moments, particularly excelling in both football and baseball. The thrill of sports became a significant chapter of his youth, with standout opportunities such as being scouted by the Kansas City A's minor league baseball team. The memories of those days on the field continued to hold a special place in his heart.
Upon his high school graduation in 1954, Sonny enlisted in the Army, ultimately stationed in Germany for a few years. As his proficiency in German grew, little did he know that the very letters he penned in German and sent to his family would one day become cherished keepsakes.
Due in part to RCA, Camden was a leading producer of record players and radio sets in the 1950's. Beginning his career as a technician, working at what Sonny described as one of the smaller RCA buildings, he was thrilled to be part of the excitement. This career would scale nearly 3 decades. It was at the beginning of this career that his family had relocated to Stratford, NJ where Sonny would remain a lifelong resident.
As the years passed, in his free time on the weekends, Sonny enjoyed tending bar during the days at Maloney's in Margate, NJ – to say he became a fixture would be an understatement. He spent his weekends among the regulars and the crowds who came bustling through. Long live Maloney's and the time spent with friends and family. This lives beyond stories told....the Facebook pages, today, honoring this establishment, both mention Sonny and exhibit him in action through pictures. These were great times!
Sonny was always Sonny and if he let you know him, you probably loved him. If you truly knew him, you were aware of his unwavering sense of self and, oh, his style along with his infectious laugh. Then there was his love for cars – the Cadillac, the Grand National, The Mustang Coupe, and his beloved Corvettes over the years (just to name a few). His favorite friends and family had the pleasure of attending his infamous annual Christmas Eve party. You were sure to find his signature watermelon shots in the shaker, the enormous food spread, and the hours spent by children captivated with his extensive Lionel train setup. Most precious to him was his dedication to his faith and to the Blessed Mother, only adding to the remarkable coincidence that he would return home to the Lord on the Feast of the Assumption.
Sonny is survived by his caring brothers Donald Sommers and Rev. Edward Sommers, and is preceded in death by his dear parents and his siblings, Dorothy and Robert. Enormous thanks and true gratitude go to his dedicated nieces and nephews who have been so committed to his care at the end of his earthly life. Lastly, there are his dearest friends. You know who you are, and you also know that the word friend cannot fully contain what you meant to him.
In lieu of flowers, anyone taking a moment to honor Sonny's life is asked to stop and celebrate him in your own special way. Whether you raise a glass and toast him or, perhaps, add something extra to the collection basket at Mass this week, any simple gesture would have meant the world to him.