Our dear friend and beloved Grand Island resident Lenore “Lee” Tetkowski passed away at 101 years of age on July 4th.
An advocate for public education and social change, founder of Buffalo State College’s Siena Program, and long-time art teacher in our community, Lee—or “Mrs. T” as she was affectionally known by most—made a gigantic impact on us here at Island Ship Center every time she visited, as well as so many of her neighbors here on Grand Island and in the greater Buffalo area for many, many decades. She was a UNICEF chair, a changemaker in the League of Women Voters, and a featured artist as recently as 2023 for the Weavers Guild of Buffalo. Lenore was truly gifted…and a gift to all of us.
When our family first moved to Grand Island many years ago, Mrs. T invited our daughters into her home and gave them a very gracious history lesson. She told them about how her husband went to school on the GI Bill, how during the depression she worked for a quarter a day, and so much more from her amazing life. She lived up the road from us and, until her last, continued to visit us regularly, bringing her caretakers by the shop, having us help to print her 100th and 101st birthday celebration cards, and so much more. We are truly grateful and honored for the privilege of working with her, knowing her, learning from her, and being graced by her love and kindness so often.
Please honor Lee by reading her obituary here and sharing condolences with her family and friends.
