Leslie Bernardini Pionke

May 20, 1944 — November 12, 2019 Leslie Bernardini Pionke, age 75, daughter of Mary D’Anna Pionke Andrus and Walter Bernardini, raised by James and Mary Pionke, passed away on November 12, at her home in Washington DC. Visitation will be Saturday, November 30, 2019 from 9 am until time of funeral service 11a.m. at Matz Funeral Home, 410 E. Rand Road, Mt. Prospect, Interment following at All Saints Cemetery. Born and raised in Chicago, Leslie attended Schurz High School and graduated from Maine East High School in 1960. A lifelong student of history, Leslie earned her B.A. from Northwestern University, then taught history in the Chicago Public Schools (Flower Vocational and Madonna Catholic High School). She earned her Masters in Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. Leslie enjoyed a rich learning environment in medical social work at Rush Presbyterian Hospital for many years, but the West Coast was calling. In 1987 she moved to Los Angeles to begin a new chapter. She was passionate about her work in the Neo-natal department at Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and at Sherman Oaks Burn Center. Leslie could not imagine a life without music, and always found a home in ‘the Chorus’. She joined the West Coast Singers where she met her life partner, Lynne Barstow. “Taking a chance on love” she traded palm trees for politics and in 1998 moved with Lynne to Washington DC. Leslie was a passionate voice for all things democratic. Her role model in life was Eleanor Roosevelt. A social worker at Washington Hospital Center until 2001, Leslie transferred to Inova Fairfax Hospital to join the Kidney Transplant Team. There she worked until her retirement in August 2019. She took special pride in facilitating the hospital Donor/Recipient Support Group for many years. At age 60, she shined in her new role as mother. She and Lynne welcomed their daughter, Ryanne Barstow, into their family in 2004. Raising Ryanne was among her proudest accomplishments. The past few years, never without a chorus or expressive outlet, Leslie sang soprano with the Encore Chorale, took painting classes, read and reread Jane Austin, listened to Anthony Trollope books on tape, all while pondering life and love in poetry-laced notebooks. She was an artist. Along with her partner and daughter, Leslie is survived by her sisters Michele Weber (William), Lorette Pionke Mitchell (Peter), Veronica Bronars (David), and Angela Lebovic (David). She loved and was loyal to her many nephews, nieces, cousins, aunts, extended paternal family, and friends and colleagues, old and new.

Leslie Bernardini Pionke

May 20, 1944 - November 12, 2019