My dad was born January 16th, 1955, to May and Norman Leibowitz. They originally lived in the bronx, however, shortly after his birth they began their lives in Bayside Queens. His parents and himself would live at 15-06 Bell Blvd for the rest of their lives, making it their family home. Pictures of my dad's bar mitzvah, enjoying family time in his back yard, going to the community pool club, birthdays, holidays, ect. all show a very happy and loving childhood, as he had also described to me remembering his parents when I was young. Unfortunately I never got to meet them. His father died the week of his 30th birthday from a heart attack. The following month he was married to my mother Cheryl. My grandmother May can be seen smiling and very proud of her son in their wedding video. She unfortunately passed away as well a year later. Most say of a broken heart. That her and Norman were the picture of a "perfect couple" and she couldn't bear to be without him. My dad took over the family home and began his life as a married man. He was a mechanic but his goal was the be an entrepreneur, which he eventually did. His most notable shop being Steven Scott Sunoco in Forest Hills. However, that was only one of many be would go on the own. In 1988 I was born. I would be his only child, and very blessed to have such a loving and gentle man to call daddy. He shined in this role, as a husband, and as a business owner. He worked tirelessly at times to always be building on our future as a family and make sure we never wanted for anything. We spent whatever time he had free from work together as a family. Those were always his priorities and he never faltered. In 2000, he had a cardiac episode which resulted in a triple bypass. He had been a long time diabetic and took this as an opportunity to take better care of himself. We had even more quality time together as he started scaling back slightly on his work load. He got his first ever brand new car that year. A 1999 silver Ford expedition. He was so proud of that car, and of all his accomplishments both at work and at home. I remember him racing home from work early all that summer to make sure and swim with me at the pool club as much as he could before they closed for the day. Unfortunately, only 3 short years later his health would take a turn for the worse. In July 2003, he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, glioblastoma stage 4. He stopped working and started on his search to find help, determined not to give up. He tried to make life seem as normal as possible. Spending some days just with my mom, or just with me. I remember the blackout of 8/14/03. We were in the pool when they asked everyone to get out. It was daytime so we couldn't tell the power had been shut off. On the way home he told me "always remember where you were the day the lights went out. In the pool with me." I did, and I remember that night, all 3 of us together at home with candles and our neighbors out back enjoying each others company. The following month my mother had found a dr that agreed to do the surgery. With only a 20% chance at survival they sent me away with family and prepared for the worst. I was at an aunt's 90th birthday party when I got the call. He had woken up and was not only alive but talking which they said he may not have been able to. With the huge success of surgery and some radiation to follow, he was in remission and given a new lease on life. He went back to work and started taking short trips to visit all of his friends. His focus became all about the people he loved. It was an amazing year and a half that we breathed a sigh of relief. Then the headaches came back. They tried chemo but it only made him sicker. He was in pain and didn't have many choices left so we started hospice. People came from far and wide to say their goodbyes. He died in his living room, surrounded by family and especially his beloved wife. His life may have only been a short 50 years, but he was a kind, generous, funny, and loving man who lived a notable life anyone could be proud of. My parents were the "perfect couple" just like his parents before them, and my mother misses him dearly every day. He will forever be greatly missed, and to all those who had the pleasure of knowing him, we will all be forever grateful to him. Rest in the sweetest of peace daddy... until we get to see you again ♡