Twenty One Gun Salute

Taken for the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat

JOHNSTOWN — LEVENTRY – Robert R.,

(AKA George Alexander, Bingo Bob, Pappy, Pooh-Pah)

88, Ottawa Street, Johnstown, died June 28, 2010, at Memorial Medical Center. Born July 16, 1921, in Johnstown, son of the late Arthur and Edith (Umbaugh) Leventry. Preceded in death by wife, Aileen F. (Williams); twin brother, William J.; brothers, John, Richard and David; and sisters, Mary Ritenour and Janet Leventry.

Survived by his devoted daughters, Amy, wife of Edward Rosenbaum, Johnstown; Carol, wife of Bernard Smith, Carlisle; and Connie, wife of John Mellott, Windber; and grandchildren, Jennifer, and husband, Mike; Erin and husband, Papa; J. Kirk Waterstram, and wife, Laura; David Waterstram; Lindsey Tolino, and husband, Mike; and John Mellott III; also great-grandchildren, Ethan, Sarah, Norah and Charlotte and Alexander Robert. Also survived by sister, Louise Hogue, Richland; and sisters-in-law, Theresa Leventry, Richland; and Mary Louise Leventry, Indiana.

Bob retired from the U.S. Air Force, a veteran who proudly served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, where he worked as an aircraft technician helping to reclaim the islands in the Pacific. He also took part in the atomic bomb testing following World War II. Later worked many years and was retired from American Red Cross.

Dad was a loving and selflessly generous man. He had a special kindness that he shared with those in need. Dad had an entertaining sense of humor and wit, and his love for his family never wavered.

Friends will be received from 11 a.m. until time of service at 1 p.m. Wednesday at John Henderson Co. Funeral Home, 215 Central Ave., followed by committal service at Grandview Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted by Charles Menoher Post 155 VFW Ritual Team, the Rev. Alice Plotts, officiating.

After the service, Aunt Amy shared a true "Grandpa" story. Back when Pap used to attend church, he went to service one Sunday morning & noticed a fella in less-than-Sunday-best duds. Rather than turn his nose up at the man for dressing inappropriately, Pappy called the church office & anonymously donated $200 for the man to purchase church clothes.

Mama's cousin Kirk was blessed with Pappy's gift of speech, and of making everyone feel comfortable whatever the situation. Kirk is the only one in the family who isn't too shy to speak his mind, and luckily, he did a fabulous job vocalizing what the rest of us were thinking...

In the Eulogy, Kirk made a joke about how Gramps' favorite charities were The Meadows & the PA Lotto. But then reminded us how Pappy always needed to give us something when we came to visit him; be it a piece of candy, a $2 bill or a shoe horn, gramps couldn't be happy without sharing something.

Kirk pointed out that each of Bingo Bob's daughters inherited his generosity and kind spirit. Just like Pappy, they are always sacrificing themselves to help their family, friends and even strangers.

I could have inherited Pappy's bald head, but instead I inherited the same kind heart that he gave his daughters. Just like Gramps, there are very few material goods that I wouldn't be excited to pass along to someone who needs them more than we do. When I see a good deal at the store or at a yard sale, I get so excited to buy it, then redistribute it to the next person who says they are looking for "one of those." And now that Kirk made that Grandpa connection for me, I think I will spend even more time being like Pappy!

After the funeral we had a variation of the traditional Irish Wake... Catholics drink & laugh, Leventry's eat & pocket some cookies! About 35 people heeded Grandpa's last offer to, "Come on, I'll buy you a meal," at met up at Hoss's. After a morning of tears, a happy luncheon remembering Pappy was a great send-off.

After we ate up the last scoop of available ice cream, Kirk pulled out a pocket full of PA Lottery Scratch-offs to distribute as one last tribute to Pappy.

(Although the babe has licked a cone before, this was his first solo ice cream cone. He did such a fabulous job, I feel certain that Pappy must have been helping him... That man just LOVED to give the kiddos a sugar-high!)

Robert Leventry, AKA George Alexander

Bingo Bob Leventry

July 16, 1921- June 28, 2010

Back in the day, when people paid with cash, my grandpa forgot his shoes in a hotel room. When he noticed they were gone, he went back to the front desk. Unfortunately, he checked in under his favorite alias, George Alexander, and the cashier refused to hand the shoes over without valid ID.


Those of you who know Bingo Bob know he's crazy. And those of you who know us both probably suspect that's where I got my crazy.

When I was growing up he would always tell us that he lost all his toes in the war. Then one day I saw him with his socks off and counted a full ten toes. It was a pretty good story while it lasted.

Gramps turned 88 years old last July and we celebrated the same way we always do... with lottery tickets. But last year Jenn finally decided stop wasting money on a PA Lotto Scratch Offs & baked a huge scatch off cake for Pappy.

When I was a girl, about 13ish, Jessie Snyder & I took an Carlisle Arts Council summer drawing class in the basement of the old folks home. One Saturday morning my Mama was busy, so she sent Grandpa to pick us up. He rolled up to the center with all four windows down & Polka music blaring. Oddly, I wasn't embarrassed. But Jessie, hoy vey, she was so mortified that she laid down in the back seat while pappy & I rocked out in the front, the whole way through town. Good times.

Every Christmas the whole fam-damnly would indulge Bingo Bob some serious Christmas Bingo. Each year we would bring more & more presents. Amy would always show up with some funny ones, and last year Aunt Connie came with some awesome homemade scarves. And Laura always send yummies. Anyway, Pappy would always call out the numbers; using a crazy bingo lingo. He always had some crazy, kitchy line to add to the number, including o-71, Bang on the Drum; o-66 clickity click, and of course, Liboratchy!

Back when I was in college, Pappy liked stickers. And I quickly became his supplier. He had so many stickers on the back of his car, he could barely see out of the back window.

Still, to this day, people come up to us at car show & ask how gramps is doing. Back in the early 80's, when we first started parking cars, Pappy came to help, and, of course, everyone loved him! One time when he was traveling through Camp Lejune, Pappy spotted a car show fella. Pappy called out to him, & off they went to play bingo.

Pappy also used to pick up hitch hikers. I remember the one time he got lost in Baltimore or some other inner-city. He stopped for directions and ended up giving a prostitute & her pimp a ride. He told the story, because the lady sat between Pappy & the pimp, on a huge pile of quarters & she didn't steal any!

When I was a kid, my parents sent me to visit pappy & my grandma in Johnstown for a week. I loved it. I slept on the brown shag carpet on grandpa's bedroom floor. He always had sugary cereal in the morning & grandma would show us all the old Barbies in the basement.

In addition to lying about his injuries, Pappy would also make a habit of fibbing about his rank in the US Air Force. At Jenn's wedding @ the Carlisle Barracks we wrote a seat card out for Five Star General Robert Leventy... Oh, the wait staff went crazy. They all wanted pictures with him and were constantly asking if he needed anything else.

We decided to name the babe after both D's grandfather, Alexander, and Bingo Bob. Grandpa Alexander Nastas struggled through the Russian Gulag and we hope the babe will inherit his strength & perseverance. Grandpa Robert Leventry made everyone he met laugh out loud with his funny faces, crazy bird calls and ridicules stories, and we hope the boy will inherit that sense of humor.

And although I can't play 18 Bingo cards at once, the one thing I learned very well from Pappy was his monkey call! Whoo, whoo, haa, haa... .we've even taught they baby what a monkey says already!

Pappy lived a very full life. Touched many, many lives. And we're all better off for knowing him.

I love you Grandpa!

Splish, splash

The babes isn't a 100% yet, but he is feelin' a whole lot better. Friday night, after a long day of yard sales & foolin' 'round outside with Nik, he even felt well enough to move back into his own bedroom for the first time in over a month (read: Mama got sleep!)

To celebrate, we went to some more yard sales and played with all our new toys outside!


Nikola & our boy have a fabulous time in the backseat, while the Mamas concentrate on finding yard sale steals... I think we probably have a few more years before we have to worry about their back seat "fun."


For now, there is nothing funner than chasing each other with the hose... well, other than actually "getting" someone with the hose...

Alexander & Baby Nikola

Last Friday Nikola started saying the cutest thing... Al-X-Ander. Listening to her say his name is just so cute! I love it!

Listen closely, Niki says it at the very beginning of the video, before saying her own name.

Freewheelin' Zane Dylan

Way back when, the times, they were a changin'. JB, Jackie & Mama went searching for that change on a road trip to see Bob Dylan preform in Pittsburgh.

Now, I don't even have to leave home; Miss Jen gave the babes a harmonica today!

Met & a Meal

Finally, our last NYC post (for now)! It only took 2 weeks to recount our 2 week vacation with babushka!

On our last day with Grandma & Grandpa we took one more trip into the city to show Uncle Afanasi the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Of course, the little man fell asleep on the subway... only to awake in a funk when we arrived at the museum. Well, he gave us a few minutes before the crank... but not many.

Unfortunately, Mama & the babe had to run (screaming) from the Picasso exhibit. It was traumatic. Very traumatic. And to compound the trauma, the hoity toity museum bartender refused to serve Mama a $10 glass of red wine. Refused might not be the right word.... And just to spite them we sat ourselves at one of their tables for a little banana, cheese fish snack. Yum.

And then Papa found the American Wing Courtyard! Freedom at last! The boy ran wild & even made a wish in the small water display. Of course, he used his binkie instead of throwing a quarter to make his wish, but oh well...

Up the steps. Down the steps. Face on the steps. And then back up the steps. Art Farts.

Speaking of farts, did I mention that the Met doesn't have changing tables in their rest rooms? Yeah, not so baby friendly. I had to change him on the vanity table in one restroom and on the sink in another. Ugh.

After the long trek back to Brooklyn'd, we met up with Pops, Slava & the whole family for some Turkish food. Yum, yum & yum. I think Turkish food, prepared by Russians is definitely, my new favorite cuisine!

I had the best Portabella mushroom that I've ever tasted. And carrots that looked like sausage. Can you say perfection? OK, yum will suffice!