Josephine Kosiba Leyko (née Josephine Theresa Kosiba), born January 12th, 1925, loving mother of seven children, and beloved wife of the late Milton Anthony Leyko, Sr., passed away on November 22nd, 2020 at 95 years old.
Josephine worked as a sales associate in a fine jewelry store, secretary in the Standard Oil Building off St. Paul St in Baltimore, and volunteered as a candy striper at Church Home Hospital of Baltimore as a teenager. She was born and raised in Canton, Baltimore, where she met her future husband at a local USO dance. They were married once he returned safely from the war, and started their family, eventually relocating to Harford County, MD.
As a mother she was dedicated, resourceful, and kind. She was a skilled seamstress who would redesign her family’s clothes. She was proud of her gardens full of flowers and handmade bird feeders. She was a talented cook who made great pierogis. Often indomitable and quietly courageous, she got her driver’s license at the age of 66. She had a generous spirit and never let her grandkids leave empty-handed. She had a fantastic sense of humor, and she loved to dance the polka.
Josephine valued her Catholic faith, took pride in her Polish heritage, and doted upon her large family. Long after her own children were grown, she still adored all children and babies and her face would light up whenever she saw a little one.
She is survived by her seven children:
Milton A Leyko Jr. of Stewartstown, PA
Dr. Raymond Leyko of Boardman, OH
Cynthia Leyko-Fleischman of Bel Air, MD
Nancy J. O’Hara of Shrewsbury, PA
Janine Devereux of Fawn Grove, PA
Michael Leyko of New Park, PA
Roxanne Dodson of Fawn Grove, PA
Survived by one of her twelve siblings:
Rosalie Hojnacki of Baltimore, MD
And as “Busia” to fifteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She will be laid to rest on December 1st in a private celebration with the immediate family with a memorial service to be scheduled in 2021 for her extended family at St. Mary of the Assumption in Pylesville, MD.
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to St. Mary’s at https://stmaryspylesville.churchgiving.com or mailed to the church at 1021 St. Mary's Rd., Pylesville, MD 21132