Loving husband, father, son and grandfather, Leonard J. Cinelli, passed away in Tallahassee, Florida on January 28, 2023.  He lived a full and successful life, finding the time to pursue his passions of music, baseball, politics and friendship.  Born in Chicago, IL on September 18, 1927, his family moved to Kenosha, WI, where he spent his youth up through college.  He attended the University of Wisconsin and obtained a history degree.  While in college, his entrepreneurial spirit showed itself, when he opened the Cinelli-Tenuta Music School for aspiring accordionists.  He was an avid musician and composer, performing not only in his youth but through his later years when in Tallahassee, he formed the Italian Nights Band with a group of his closest friends.

Music gave him great joy, a joy he shared with all. As a composer, he honored his wife, children and grandchildren with waltzes, mazurkas and polkas, each lovingly written to reflect the personality of his family.  In addition to music, Leo was an avid baseball and die-hard Cubs fan.  He lived to see his beloved Cubs win two World Series, and his children were so enthused by his joy over their second win, that they bought him memorabilia from Wrigley Field from the stands where the Cubs management watched the World Series win.  He cherished those moments of joy and carried the memories with him until the end.  He was an amazing joke teller, with many marveling at the fact that through his mid-90s, he could remember jokes from Henny Youngman, Rodney Dangerfield and others, often joking with friends and his son-in-law, Ken, whose dad was an equally avid joke aficionado.  Leo was fond of quoting Dagwood Bumpstead, saying that "husbands are a sorry lot", but he adored his wife, Nina, and his world revolved around her. He lived a full life, enjoying the satisfaction of living and loving well. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nina; his daughter, Giovanna and her husband Ken, and their children, Julianna and Philippe; as well as his son, Louis and his son, Alessandro.

May he rest in peace.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CulleysMeadowWoodFuneral.com for the Cinelli family.