July 25, 2019
by Diana Dame
Also known as Lee, Leo, Aunt DD, and Deed by those closest to her, Lenore lived and worked with her parents Leo and Helen at Lee’s Park on Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs, NY in the 1950’s. She rented out canoes near the beach, served tables at the restaurant, and checked people into the campground. In 1961, Lenore graduated from Saratoga High School, a member of the National Honor Society, prom court, drama club, and countless other activities. Lenore was able to socially network successfully everywhere she went, consistently establishing close friendships every place she moved.
After earning a teaching degree at SUNY Albany, Lenore spent 30 years teaching Algebra at Minoa High School as a widely skilled and respected educator, impacting countless lives along her way. Her gift for numbers and teaching precision earned her recognition from New York State for excellence in teaching as many of her students passed the Regents exams.
Lenore was always the life of the party. She enjoyed hosting events such as Thanksgiving dinner, card parties, and outings, and she was a master at bridge and mahjong. She loved a good competition, just the way she loved a perfectly set table with coordinated napkins and plates based on the season as well as snacks such as smoked sausage, shrimp, and martinis. Lenore lived her life to the absolute fullest! You could find her at the Black Jack or Texas Hold ‘Em table with a smile on her face, always willing to take a gamble on her luck, taking care of her dogs like her large German Shepherd, Oscar, or navigating her scooter at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween in Disney, sometimes running into an ankle or two.
Her strength and tenacity to find joy in her life was infectious. She was a loyal wife and friend. When Lenore’s first husband, Donald Toomey, died in 2009, Lenore decidedly reinvented herself - something her family is most proud of. Despite the fact that she was away from New York and living in a new city (Green Valley, Arizona), Lenore got out of the house, made new friends, took trips to Europe and throughout the world, travelled to see family, and bought a cropped leather jacket with a pair of tight jeans to show off her fabulously lean legs. She took impeccable care of her skin and it showed. Lenore radiated at a time when she could have let herself go, evidence of a well of strength that we should all be so lucky to have.
In 2015, Lenore eloped in Las Vegas with her second husband, Mike Montigne, married by an Elvis Presley impersonator. Mike and Lenore had met after being set up as partners in a bridge group, falling in love quickly and with fireworks.
After earning a teaching degree at SUNY Albany, Lenore spent 30 years teaching Algebra at Minoa High School as a widely skilled and respected educator, impacting countless lives along her way. Her gift for numbers and teaching precision earned her recognition from New York State for excellence in teaching as many of her students passed the Regents exams.
Lenore was always the life of the party. She enjoyed hosting events such as Thanksgiving dinner, card parties, and outings, and she was a master at bridge and mahjong. She loved a good competition, just the way she loved a perfectly set table with coordinated napkins and plates based on the season as well as snacks such as smoked sausage, shrimp, and martinis. Lenore lived her life to the absolute fullest! You could find her at the Black Jack or Texas Hold ‘Em table with a smile on her face, always willing to take a gamble on her luck, taking care of her dogs like her large German Shepherd, Oscar, or navigating her scooter at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween in Disney, sometimes running into an ankle or two.
Her strength and tenacity to find joy in her life was infectious. She was a loyal wife and friend. When Lenore’s first husband, Donald Toomey, died in 2009, Lenore decidedly reinvented herself - something her family is most proud of. Despite the fact that she was away from New York and living in a new city (Green Valley, Arizona), Lenore got out of the house, made new friends, took trips to Europe and throughout the world, travelled to see family, and bought a cropped leather jacket with a pair of tight jeans to show off her fabulously lean legs. She took impeccable care of her skin and it showed. Lenore radiated at a time when she could have let herself go, evidence of a well of strength that we should all be so lucky to have.
In 2015, Lenore eloped in Las Vegas with her second husband, Mike Montigne, married by an Elvis Presley impersonator. Mike and Lenore had met after being set up as partners in a bridge group, falling in love quickly and with fireworks.