Obituary of Leo F Kilpatrick

Leo F. Kilpatrick died on March 27, 2021 at his home in Seabrook, Texas. He visited with his three grown children on Friday evening, expressed his delight at having the family all together and went to sleep at peace. Survivors include his spouse of 50 years, Blanche C. Kilpatrick and their children. Children are Charles C. Kilpatrick, MD and spouse Lubna Chohan Kilpatrick, MD, Hugh W. Kilpatrick and his spouse, Jennifer Kilpatrick, Sara Kilpatrick Baker, CPA and her spouse David Baker. Grandchildren are Wilder and Ella Kilpatrick and Maya and Eli Kilpatrick. Lee was the last surviving sibling of eight born and raised in Philadelphia, Penna. Lee grew up in the Italian neighborhood of South Philly and always declared himself part Italian. After graduating high school, Lee entered St. Charles Seminary and charted his course to include studies in Philosophy, Theology, Church History, Latin, Greek, German and Italian. Lee loved his work with the choir and its director, Monsignor De la Pica. He was ordained in 1955 and went on to serve in the Allentown diocese as assistant, choir coordinator at several parishes and then as pastor in Pine Grove and his final assignment, Jim Thorpe. With hope in his heart, he then went on to create not just a parish family, but a family of his own with children who could call him father. After marrying, Lee and Blanche moved to Texas where Lee began his career in sales in the petro-chemical field. He worked for Electro-Chemical, I.W Industries and Sentry Polymers. He met clients by day and renewed his chemistry study in the evening as to become proficient in recommendations for coatings, linings, flooring, etc. Travel was a large part of the job and he and Blanche mapped the roads together and continued in that vein until their second child was born. Lee went through the laicization process and they were married by the future Bishop Joseph Fiorenza. After many years studying, selling and advancing ideas in the petro-chemical field, he retired at age seventy. That provided more time for family, cooking, travel , yard work, reading and cheering on his favorite Houston Astros. Kids and their friends were always a part of the family activity from early morning rides to swim practice, to baseball and basketball games to Friday night rides with a group of his daughter’s giggling girlfriends playing “red light” and stopping for ice cream. He wore them out and watched over them with a father’s heart. Lee was never at a loss to tell a story that usually had a lesson if you were tuned in. The family wants to thank friends ,neighbors and extended family who always engaged in life with Lee and left him with a smile and a glint in his eye. For those wanting to remember Lee with charity, donations may be made to St. Vincent DePaul society at St. Marys or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. And on an individual note, make a call to an old friend you haven’t touched base with in awhile.