Obituary of Leonie F. Bachmeyer

Glenville - Leonie F. Bachmeyer, died peacefully after a brief illness at the Joan Nicole Prince Home.

She was born Leonie Stapf in the small Franconian village of Ebersbach, Germany in March 1927. The 6th of 8 children, she spent her childhood helping her parents on the family farm while WW II forced four of her brothers away from home. In1956, she emigrated to the U. S. on the ship S.S. United States which set a trans-Atlantic speed record on the voyage. Settling on Long Island, she worked in a clothing factory, learning English from co-workers and watching television shows. She was especially proud of having sung in Madison Square Garden as a member of the 'German Singing Society'.

She soon met another German immigrant, Rudolf Bachmeyer, whom she married in 1959. Leonie was naturalized a U. S. citizen in1961. Between 1960 and 1964, Leonie gave birth to three children, and became a devoted mother to Randy, Margaret and Erich. In 1966, Leonie and Rudy and their three children moved to a dairy farm in Burnt Hills, NY and moved again, in 1970 to Glenville. Leonie held various part time jobs to help make ends meet: working at Merchant's apple orchard, in her children's elementary school and providing home care to the elderly. In her later years, she became a resident of the Stockade in Schenectady. She will always be remebered for her bright blue eyes and smile, her devoted love and dedication to her childrenand family, her selfless generosity and her unwavering devotion to her religious faith.

Leonie was preceded in death by her husband Rudolf; he died in 1992.

She is survived by her sons Randy (Iris) and Erich (Flori), daughter Margaret (Oliver), five grandchildren and two great- grandchildren.

Funeral service, Tuesday 12 noon at St. Anthony of Padua Church (Seward Pl. and Nott St.) Schenectady, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Interment, Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.joannicoleprincehome.org or www.community hospice.org.