Longtime Pitch & Hit Club member Leonard Di Forte, age 97, passed away on November 26.. He was born on June 1, 1923 in Boston, Massachusetts to Giuseppe and Catena (Zagarella) who had migrated to the U.S. in their youth from the Sicilian region of Italy.
Len grew up in Boston and Medford, Massachusetts. After high school he attended Bentley School of Accounting and Business Law before enlisting in the Army Air Corp where he served during WWII as a Tech Sergeant. After serving his country, he worked in accounting and sales for many years.
Len married the love of his life, Helen (Olsen), on November 28, 1959. They were happily married for a few months short of 50 years, when his beloved wife passed away on August 25, 2009. Together they parented nine children. predominately in Illinois and Wisconsin. In his spare time, Len spent most of his adult life coaching, managing, and promoting amateur baseball with Helen by his side. He had served as North Zone Director of Pony Baseball, Inc., as President of the Metropolitan Collegiate Summer Baseball League of Illinois, the All-American Amateur Baseball Association, Glen Ellyn Boys Baseball, and the Western Du Page Colt League. He received Lifetime Achievement Awards from; the International Athletic Foundation, the Pitch and Hit Club, and the All-American Amateur Baseball Association, as well as other awards for recognition of his community service. The Pitch and Hit Club named its Amateur Baseball Service Award in his honor.
In his later years he was a positive motivating force for his Care Center family, staff, and friends by sharing his philosophies for success in life:
7 Steps to Success
1. Love yourself.
2. Ask “Who am I? What is my purpose?”
3. What is your strength – if you don’t know, find it. What are you good at?
4. Improve on your strength.
5. Set a goal – what do you hope to achieve?
6. Believe in yourself and your creator. “If you believe you will achieve.”
7. Work hard until you achieve your goal.
The Daily Order of Priorities for a Successful Life 1. Family. 2. Faith – believe in your creator. 3. Do the best that you can.
Len was the loving father of Dwight Dixon, Darrell Dixon, Dwayne (Shirley) Dixon, David (Barbara) Dixon, Debra (Rick) Wellington, Toni (Bill) Kellens, Tina (Kurt) Browning and the late Joseph L. Di Forte and Sandi Hermanowicz; devoted grandfather of 25; great-grandfather of 46; great-great grandfather of 5; dear brother of Joseph F. Di Forte, and the late Mary Bottari.
Visitation with online streaming will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2020 from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Homes & Crematory, 24021 Royal Worlington Drive, Naperville, IL. Mass of Christian Burial with online streaming, Monday, December 7, 2020, 10:30 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Community Church, 2003 Hassert Blvd., Naperville, IL Interment West Lawn Cemetery, Racine, WI.