Leonard Francis "Lenny" Bourbeau was born at home, on Central St. in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, the son of Lionel Joseph and Rose A. (Daignault) Bourbeau. Lenny had three brothers, John L. Bourbeau, Charles "Pat" L. Bourbeau, and Alderic B. Bourbeau.
Lenny played basketball for Turners Falls High School, and graduated from there in 1943. Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau, Lenny's then future wife, said that even before they were dating she used to go to watch him play basketball at the Turners Falls High School.
Leonard F. Bourbeau and Margaret Mary (Sowell) Bourbeau, were married by the justice of the peace, on August 12, 1943, at the Greenfield Town Hall. Both the bride and groom's parents were in attendance. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard F. Bourbeau spent two days in Springfield as their honeymoon, before Lenny had to return to serve in the Navy.
Lenny was inducted into the Seabees on June 24, 1943, entering active service on July, 1, 1943, and obtained training at Camp Peary, near Williamsburg, Va. He served in the U.S. Navy with the 23rd, 68th, and 138th (Maintenance) Seabees Construction Battalions. When in the 68th Battalion, he was in Company B, on the USS Topeka (CL 67), and was stationed on the island of Attu, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of War during World War II. He went to the Aleutians in September 1943, and served at Attu and other Islands for 21 months, with a total service time of 2 years, 5 months, and 12 days. He attained the rank of Seaman First Class (USN-I, SA), and was honored with the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Ribbon, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. In mid-July of 1945 after a 30 day leave spent with his wife and toddler daughter, he reported to Camp Endicott, Davisville, R.I. for reassignment. He was honorably discharged from the USN Personnel Separation Center, Boston, Mass., on Dec. 5, 1945.
Lenny and Margaret were married 58 years. The Bourbeau's marriage produced three children: daughters Beverly Ann (Jennings) Bourbeau, Barbara Jean (Gibson) Bourbeau, and a son, Brent Alan Bourbeau.
Over the years Lenny raised birds, enjoyed yard sales, fishing, classic cars, ham radio, collecting antique milk bottles, Fenton glass, and tending to his fresh water aquariums. He had a love of flowering plants, Impatiens and Christmas cactus.
Mr. Bourbeau was in 1972 elected as the secretary for the Turners Falls Fish and Game Club.
As a teen-ager, Lenny would go to Turners Falls High School during the day, and work the 3-11 shift at night. After he returned from his time serving in the SeaBees, the paper mill took him back.
In 1987, the Strathmore Paper Co. honored him with several awards including one for 17 years of work without missing a day for any reason, presented by Strathmore President John Gallup. Lenny worked at the mill for 45 years, until his retirement in 1989.
His wife Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau told the story of the time that she was waiting in the car for Lenny to cross the footbridge from the paper mill, over the canal, to where the wives were all waiting in their cars in the parking area for their husbands at the end of the workday. It was Friday, payday, and a gust of wind blew Lenny's paycheck out of his hand and into the fast moving water of the canal. Lenny took off his shoes, dungarees and watch, and dove off the catwalk right into the canal, and swam to retrieve his check. Many men and their wives were watching this in amazement, and Lenny was able to grab his soggy check and find a way out of the canal, in his underwear and shirt, to the cheers, laughter, and applause of those watching. The paycheck was dried out on the dashboard of their car and cashed at the bank. Lenny knew it was either dive in and save the check, or wait for a new check to be cut!
[some excerpts from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper obituary, with additional information provided by the Bourbeau family]
Lenny played basketball for Turners Falls High School, and graduated from there in 1943. Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau, Lenny's then future wife, said that even before they were dating she used to go to watch him play basketball at the Turners Falls High School.
Leonard F. Bourbeau and Margaret Mary (Sowell) Bourbeau, were married by the justice of the peace, on August 12, 1943, at the Greenfield Town Hall. Both the bride and groom's parents were in attendance. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard F. Bourbeau spent two days in Springfield as their honeymoon, before Lenny had to return to serve in the Navy.
Lenny was inducted into the Seabees on June 24, 1943, entering active service on July, 1, 1943, and obtained training at Camp Peary, near Williamsburg, Va. He served in the U.S. Navy with the 23rd, 68th, and 138th (Maintenance) Seabees Construction Battalions. When in the 68th Battalion, he was in Company B, on the USS Topeka (CL 67), and was stationed on the island of Attu, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of War during World War II. He went to the Aleutians in September 1943, and served at Attu and other Islands for 21 months, with a total service time of 2 years, 5 months, and 12 days. He attained the rank of Seaman First Class (USN-I, SA), and was honored with the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Ribbon, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. In mid-July of 1945 after a 30 day leave spent with his wife and toddler daughter, he reported to Camp Endicott, Davisville, R.I. for reassignment. He was honorably discharged from the USN Personnel Separation Center, Boston, Mass., on Dec. 5, 1945.
Lenny and Margaret were married 58 years. The Bourbeau's marriage produced three children: daughters Beverly Ann (Jennings) Bourbeau, Barbara Jean (Gibson) Bourbeau, and a son, Brent Alan Bourbeau.
Over the years Lenny raised birds, enjoyed yard sales, fishing, classic cars, ham radio, collecting antique milk bottles, Fenton glass, and tending to his fresh water aquariums. He had a love of flowering plants, Impatiens and Christmas cactus.
Mr. Bourbeau was in 1972 elected as the secretary for the Turners Falls Fish and Game Club.
As a teen-ager, Lenny would go to Turners Falls High School during the day, and work the 3-11 shift at night. After he returned from his time serving in the SeaBees, the paper mill took him back.
In 1987, the Strathmore Paper Co. honored him with several awards including one for 17 years of work without missing a day for any reason, presented by Strathmore President John Gallup. Lenny worked at the mill for 45 years, until his retirement in 1989.
His wife Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau told the story of the time that she was waiting in the car for Lenny to cross the footbridge from the paper mill, over the canal, to where the wives were all waiting in their cars in the parking area for their husbands at the end of the workday. It was Friday, payday, and a gust of wind blew Lenny's paycheck out of his hand and into the fast moving water of the canal. Lenny took off his shoes, dungarees and watch, and dove off the catwalk right into the canal, and swam to retrieve his check. Many men and their wives were watching this in amazement, and Lenny was able to grab his soggy check and find a way out of the canal, in his underwear and shirt, to the cheers, laughter, and applause of those watching. The paycheck was dried out on the dashboard of their car and cashed at the bank. Lenny knew it was either dive in and save the check, or wait for a new check to be cut!
[some excerpts from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper obituary, with additional information provided by the Bourbeau family]
Leonard Francis "Lenny" Bourbeau was born at home, on Central St. in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, the son of Lionel Joseph and Rose A. (Daignault) Bourbeau. Lenny had three brothers, John L. Bourbeau, Charles "Pat" L. Bourbeau, and Alderic B. Bourbeau.
Lenny played basketball for Turners Falls High School, and graduated from there in 1943. Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau, Lenny's then future wife, said that even before they were dating she used to go to watch him play basketball at the Turners Falls High School.
Leonard F. Bourbeau and Margaret Mary (Sowell) Bourbeau, were married by the justice of the peace, on August 12, 1943, at the Greenfield Town Hall. Both the bride and groom's parents were in attendance. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard F. Bourbeau spent two days in Springfield as their honeymoon, before Lenny had to return to serve in the Navy.
Lenny was inducted into the Seabees on June 24, 1943, entering active service on July, 1, 1943, and obtained training at Camp Peary, near Williamsburg, Va. He served in the U.S. Navy with the 23rd, 68th, and 138th (Maintenance) Seabees Construction Battalions. When in the 68th Battalion, he was in Company B, on the USS Topeka (CL 67), and was stationed on the island of Attu, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of War during World War II. He went to the Aleutians in September 1943, and served at Attu and other Islands for 21 months, with a total service time of 2 years, 5 months, and 12 days. He attained the rank of Seaman First Class (USN-I, SA), and was honored with the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Ribbon, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. In mid-July of 1945 after a 30 day leave spent with his wife and toddler daughter, he reported to Camp Endicott, Davisville, R.I. for reassignment. He was honorably discharged from the USN Personnel Separation Center, Boston, Mass., on Dec. 5, 1945.
Lenny and Margaret were married 58 years. The Bourbeau's marriage produced three children: daughters Beverly Ann (Jennings) Bourbeau, Barbara Jean (Gibson) Bourbeau, and a son, Brent Alan Bourbeau.
Over the years Lenny raised birds, enjoyed yard sales, fishing, classic cars, ham radio, collecting antique milk bottles, Fenton glass, and tending to his fresh water aquariums. He had a love of flowering plants, Impatiens and Christmas cactus.
Mr. Bourbeau was in 1972 elected as the secretary for the Turners Falls Fish and Game Club.
As a teen-ager, Lenny would go to Turners Falls High School during the day, and work the 3-11 shift at night. After he returned from his time serving in the SeaBees, the paper mill took him back.
In 1987, the Strathmore Paper Co. honored him with several awards including one for 17 years of work without missing a day for any reason, presented by Strathmore President John Gallup. Lenny worked at the mill for 45 years, until his retirement in 1989.
His wife Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau told the story of the time that she was waiting in the car for Lenny to cross the footbridge from the paper mill, over the canal, to where the wives were all waiting in their cars in the parking area for their husbands at the end of the workday. It was Friday, payday, and a gust of wind blew Lenny's paycheck out of his hand and into the fast moving water of the canal. Lenny took off his shoes, dungarees and watch, and dove off the catwalk right into the canal, and swam to retrieve his check. Many men and their wives were watching this in amazement, and Lenny was able to grab his soggy check and find a way out of the canal, in his underwear and shirt, to the cheers, laughter, and applause of those watching. The paycheck was dried out on the dashboard of their car and cashed at the bank. Lenny knew it was either dive in and save the check, or wait for a new check to be cut!
[some excerpts from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper obituary, with additional information provided by the Bourbeau family]
Lenny played basketball for Turners Falls High School, and graduated from there in 1943. Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau, Lenny's then future wife, said that even before they were dating she used to go to watch him play basketball at the Turners Falls High School.
Leonard F. Bourbeau and Margaret Mary (Sowell) Bourbeau, were married by the justice of the peace, on August 12, 1943, at the Greenfield Town Hall. Both the bride and groom's parents were in attendance. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard F. Bourbeau spent two days in Springfield as their honeymoon, before Lenny had to return to serve in the Navy.
Lenny was inducted into the Seabees on June 24, 1943, entering active service on July, 1, 1943, and obtained training at Camp Peary, near Williamsburg, Va. He served in the U.S. Navy with the 23rd, 68th, and 138th (Maintenance) Seabees Construction Battalions. When in the 68th Battalion, he was in Company B, on the USS Topeka (CL 67), and was stationed on the island of Attu, in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of War during World War II. He went to the Aleutians in September 1943, and served at Attu and other Islands for 21 months, with a total service time of 2 years, 5 months, and 12 days. He attained the rank of Seaman First Class (USN-I, SA), and was honored with the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Ribbon, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. In mid-July of 1945 after a 30 day leave spent with his wife and toddler daughter, he reported to Camp Endicott, Davisville, R.I. for reassignment. He was honorably discharged from the USN Personnel Separation Center, Boston, Mass., on Dec. 5, 1945.
Lenny and Margaret were married 58 years. The Bourbeau's marriage produced three children: daughters Beverly Ann (Jennings) Bourbeau, Barbara Jean (Gibson) Bourbeau, and a son, Brent Alan Bourbeau.
Over the years Lenny raised birds, enjoyed yard sales, fishing, classic cars, ham radio, collecting antique milk bottles, Fenton glass, and tending to his fresh water aquariums. He had a love of flowering plants, Impatiens and Christmas cactus.
Mr. Bourbeau was in 1972 elected as the secretary for the Turners Falls Fish and Game Club.
As a teen-ager, Lenny would go to Turners Falls High School during the day, and work the 3-11 shift at night. After he returned from his time serving in the SeaBees, the paper mill took him back.
In 1987, the Strathmore Paper Co. honored him with several awards including one for 17 years of work without missing a day for any reason, presented by Strathmore President John Gallup. Lenny worked at the mill for 45 years, until his retirement in 1989.
His wife Margaret (Sowell) Bourbeau told the story of the time that she was waiting in the car for Lenny to cross the footbridge from the paper mill, over the canal, to where the wives were all waiting in their cars in the parking area for their husbands at the end of the workday. It was Friday, payday, and a gust of wind blew Lenny's paycheck out of his hand and into the fast moving water of the canal. Lenny took off his shoes, dungarees and watch, and dove off the catwalk right into the canal, and swam to retrieve his check. Many men and their wives were watching this in amazement, and Lenny was able to grab his soggy check and find a way out of the canal, in his underwear and shirt, to the cheers, laughter, and applause of those watching. The paycheck was dried out on the dashboard of their car and cashed at the bank. Lenny knew it was either dive in and save the check, or wait for a new check to be cut!
[some excerpts from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper obituary, with additional information provided by the Bourbeau family]
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WORLD WAR II
