Leonard Francis Perrini, 91, recently a resident of Omaha, Neb., died January 6 in Omaha. Born November 21, 1923, in Bridgeport, where he resided most of his life, his parents were Giovanni and Nicolina Perrini (formerly Petitti), born and married in Faeto, Italy, who then immigrated to the United States and resided in Bridgeport.

His daughters, Sabrina Post, and her husband Roger, of Newtown and Lenora Herd, and her husband Cliff, of Omaha; his grandchildren Michael Reid, and wife Mariel, Mylis Post, and Colin Post, all of Newtown, Christopher Reid of Asheville, N.C., Ariana Barbe and Alex Barbe, both of Omaha, and Kristina Barbe of London, England, survive Mr Perrini.

Mr Perrini volunteered to serve in the Navy in 1942, and was assigned to communications on the USS Fogg D.E. 57.  This ship was a destroyer escort designed to fight submarines and was known as the “Fighting Fogg.”  On December 20, 1944, the ship was torpedoed by a German submarine about 400 miles west of Gibraltar. He was one of few to survive. As a member of “The Greatest Generation,” he was extremely proud to have served his country.

In 1953 he married Lois J. VandenBerg, the mother of his children. They were married for 30 years. His greatest pride in life was his children and grandchildren.

He worked in the finance department at Raybestos Manhattan in Stratford, and always had a gift for numbers.

Mr Perrini was incredibly talented in sports, and participated and coached in several throughout his life. Not only was he active in the Boys Club, “Lenny,” as he liked to be called, played baseball in The Athletics Park City Club League in Bridgeport, and played for the North End Rangers, winning the 1939-40 Bridgeport Junior Football Championship.

He played basketball, golfed, and bowled for Raybestos Manhattan, coached the Rodney Athletic Park City Baseball League in 1951 and brought them to the championship, played for the Court Roma softball team, and was the leading hitter with an average of .500 for the Boys Club softball team. Mr Perrini won several golf tournaments, including the Low Net Trophy award in the Raybestos Golf Association Annual Handicap Tournament.

“Nardi,” lovingly nicknamed by his mother, was a loving son, husband, father, and grandfather. He touched many lives and was loved by many. He said too many times to count, “My greatest enjoyment in life has always been my family.”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St Rose of Lima Church, 46 Church Hill Road, Newtown, Friday, January 23, at 11 am. Interment with military honors will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Friends may call at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, Thursday, January 22, from 5 to 8 pm.