We grieve, but it is not without hope. We shall meet her again.
It is with joyful sorrow that we, the Fonas Family, announce the passing of Leslie Fonas Jingozian on Saturday August 26, 2023. Surrounded by friends and family, Leslie died in the comfort of her beloved childhood home after a three-year battle with metastatic cancer. She was sent off with love, dignity and a touch of humor, and her death was an experience we will never forget.
The firstborn daughter of Kenneth R. and Patricia (Minyon) Fonas, Leslie began snowplowing down the slopes as soon as she could walk. Born November 19, 1963, she grew up skiing at Seven Springs with her family. As an adult, she spent every possible moment living and skiing on Blue Knob Mountain, where she also ran the Ski Shop. Her style was a perfect blend of athleticism and elegance. A technical and graceful skier, she raced in the Moonlight Race League on the Little Valley Team which was always back and forth in the first place spot. In the off-season, she loved riding her Harley.
Leslie’s earliest claim to fame came in the mid-70s, as the girl on the box of Johnny Bench Batter Up. She was an avid equestrian and spent three happy weeks every summer at the Allegheny Riding Camp. She played classical guitar and cello. Leslie attended the East Allegheny school system K-11, and graduated from Wilson Christian Academy in 1982. After graduating from high school, she attended Gordon College on the North Shore of Massachusetts from 1982-1984. She met David Jingozian while working as an office manager for a finance group in Boston; they married in 1987, and had two daughters, Alex and Kari.
In high school and throughout her life, Leslie transcended group lines and was kind to everyone she met. She was smart, beautiful, funny, and cool, and with her blond hair, blue eyes and kind heart, she made a lasting impression on more people than any of us could have possibly known. In the words of her many friends: she had an incredible energy. She made everyone around her feel better. This was her superpower, that she was just so nice to everybody. She saw the best in everyone, and everyone loved her for it. She was a sweetheart inside and out. She was a kind beautiful woman, and we are diminished without her.
Leslie refused to let her illness become the focus of her life, and her death came as a surprise to most of her friends. She didn’t want to fuel the disease by talking about it, and trusted that whatever happened, it was God’s perfect plan for her life. She retained this hope to the end, a testament to God’s great glory.
Her death was profoundly beautiful and she left in a way that was so typically “Leslie in life” that had us crying and laughing and crying at the same time. (Leslie was notoriously bad at leaving and it was a long-standing family joke that we’d have to push her car out of the driveway to get her moving along, only to watch her return minutes later because she forgot something.) Just when we finally thought she took her last breath … here would come another one. When it happened the first time, it was, “Oops!, she forgot her keys!” Then, “Oops, she forgot her phone.” Then, “Ooops, she forgot her wallet.” But finally, she finished packing up completely, and went Home.
Leslie is survived by her parents, daughters Alexandra Jingozian and Kari (fiancé Graham Hill) Jingozian, David Jingozian, her sisters Stacey Fonas, Jodi (James) Shamlin, and Corey (Tim) Heasley, nephews Colton Heasley and Trenton Heasley, Tori (Alex) Ciorra, and her little mountain kitty, Kittybeans. The Fonas clan is missing a part of its whole. Rest in skis, Leslie.
Arrangements
A celebration of Leslie’s life will be held on Friday, September 8th, 2023, from 5 – 9 PM, at the Edgewood Country Club, 100 Churchill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235. Please RSVP no later than Thursday, August 31, to 412-824-7837 or staceyfonas@gmail.com. We hope to see you there.
James F. Kutch Funeral Homes & Crematory
433 Lincoln Highway
East McKeesport, PA 15035
(412) 823-4054
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17 Comments
Please accept my sincere condolences … there are no words at this time than can ease your pain … please know that you are all in my prayers, and I am only a phone call away … Love in Christ 🙏🙏🙏
MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES. PEACE & LOVE TO YOUR FAMILY!
Please accept my sincere condolences. My memories of Leslie are full of fun with the girls. May she rest in peace.
Praying for peace for your family.
My deepest sympathy to your family during this time.. Such a precious loss .I hope you can find a little peace in knowing how blessed we are to have had our time with her and she is at peace.. Sending you all love and positive energy..
Leslie was an amazing person and a free spirit who lived life her way . She was a true friend who never had an unkind word to say. She brightened every room and left an indelible mark on the slopes of Blue Knob mountain . God speed my friend ! Heaven is in for a treat !!
We only knew each other less than a decade. Leslie is like the little quirky sister I never had (who is just like me). Leslie, know it or not, I learned a lot about skiing and life from you. I will forever picture you expertly mastering Lower Route 66 @ Blue Knob
My heart is breaking for the entire Fonas family. I’ve known them for over 40 years and they’ve touched my life in a million ways. Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of Leslie. She was witty and quick and oh so beautiful. I know your family will never be the same but it’s reassuring with your faith in Christ knowing without a doubt you will meet again.
He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:1-4
All my love,
Missy Tibbetts (Palm)
Leslie ‘s kindness and love of others was shown to everyone that came into her life . She was a beautiful soul and gave each of us a glimpse of Heaven . Her presence will be felt in the falling of the first snow , the warmth of the sun , the twinkling stars, and the gentle breezes . You will be missed by so many “Valentine “ ❤️
We reconnected with Leslie about 10 years ago. We both took the time meet up as we would make our way from NH to PGH.Leslie spent a week with us in NY a few Summers. Fond memories of Her and the twins at the local Amusement Park. Her and I spent 9 hours building a stone walkway that enters our home. During that project We talked about Life, loves, Marriage, Divorce and raising Teens. So Thankful to have spent precious time with Her.
Leslie had a wonderful sprit that she shared with everyone at Blue Knob. I will always remember seeing her bouncing down moguls on Expressway (yes, on rare occasions they were there) and Extrovert, laughing all the way. Off the slopes, she was friendly, kind and welcoming to all. She will be greatly missed.
Praying for peace for your family.
Prayers for her family! Leslie was one a kind. She always had a smile on her face! Even through her pain! She will be truly missed!! Until we meet again Leslie!
What a loss! I have known Leslie since the 60’s at 7 Springs. I skied with her at the Springs and Blue Knob. Aside from the fact that she was an awesome skier she was also and awesome person! Such a great personality! The world mourns her departure! My brother Ron skied with Ken and Leslie at the Springs! He will be at Heavens Gate when Leslie arrives saying to her let’s go make some turns.! My deepest sympathy to Ken, Patty and the family. As Drew said Godspeed Leslie. You will be missed. Try not to cut up all the powder. Save some for us!!!
What a loss! I have known Leslie since the 60’s at 7 Springs. I skied with her at the Springs and Blue Knob. Aside from the fact that she was an awesome skier she was also and awesome person! Such a great personality! The world mourns her departure! My brother Ron Klimo skied with Ken and Leslie at the Springs! He will be at Heavens Gate when Leslie arrives saying to her let’s go make some turns.! My deepest sympathy to Ken, Patty and the family. As Drew said Godspeed Leslie. You will be missed. Try not to cut up all the powder. Save some for us!!!
Kari and family -Sending our heartfelt sympathies.
We have attended church with Ken and Pat and their daughters for many, many years and have been so blessed by their ever increasing love for our Lord, Jesus Christ and for the teaching of His Word. Anytime we encountered Leslie in the church hallway, she was always, always smiling, laughing, and just beaming with God’s Eternal Light and His Love. And now, we are blessed again by Ken and Pat and their family as they give praise to God in this time of temporal loss, and as they share their confident expectation of seeing Leslie’s beautiful smiling face and hearing her lovely laughter fill God’s kingdom when they, and we all, are reunited in the presence of our Great Shepherd forevermore. Keeping the entire Fonas family in our hearts and especially in our prayers. Hebrews 13:20-21 In His love, together with all of you, Brian and Jennifer Mesick & family
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