Leonard S. Bielek

Leonard S. Bielek, 75, of Ponte Vedra, FL, formerly of Natrona Heights, passed away peacefully on July 13, 2023 at The McGraw Center, in Jacksonville, FL after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Leo was born in Natrona, PA on November 24,1947, a son of the late Helen (Plocki) and John Bielek. He worked as a repairman at Allegheny Ludlum in Brackenridge for 32 years. He was a member of Crosswater Community Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Throughout high school at Apollo and into college at the University of Nebraska, Leo was a football player. He went to the 1966 Orange Bowl and 1967 Sugar Bowl as a Cornhusker. His passion after football turned to golf. Leo could be found playing up and down the east coast and was a golf ranger at Birdsfoot Golf Club for 15 years. In the past year he played over 50 rounds of golf while fighting off pancreatic cancer. He played The Players Club Stadium course, Dye Valley, Slammer and Squire as well as The King and Bear golf courses, just to name a few. Leo is survived by his wife of 26 years, Betsy (Britton) Bielek; six daughters, Amy (Rick) Hepler, of Pittsburgh, PA, Rachel (Jimmy) DeFalco, of East Vandergrift, PA, Jennifer (Mark) Clifford, of Novi, MI, Melissa (Andrew) Hipple of Christiansburg, VA, Amy Szymarek of Pittsburgh,PA and Erica (John) Dudash, of Ponte Vedra, FL. He is also survived by his grandchildren Nichole Hepler, Anthony Hepler, Alyssa McFall, Joseph Bielek, Daniel DeFalco, Maggie Clifford, Millie Clifford, Britton Hipple, Nicholas Hipple, Elizabeth Hipple, Ashton Szymarek, Benjamin Szymarek, Mia Dudash, and Lana Dudash. He is also survived by numerous great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends he loved dearly including his Birdsfoot extended family and his golf league friends. In addition to his parents, Leo was preceded in death by his brothers Eugene Bielek and Edward Bielek and his sister Antoinette Mazanek. Family and friends will be received on Sunday, July 16, 2023 from 1-4 pm and 6-8 pm at the Redmond Funeral Home, Inc. 524 High St. Freeport. A celebration of life service will be held on Monday, July 17, 2023 at 10 am at Redmond Funeral Home. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Freeport.

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