William Edward Leshnock

William “Bill” Edward Leshnock passed on to meet his Savior on July 15, 2026. He was born on Jan. 18, 1942 in Youngstown, Ohio, and graduated from Ursuline High School in 1961. At Ursuline, Bill was a star athlete, receiving varsity letters in Football, Basketball and Track every year. He was recognized as an All-City Athlete for his excellence in sports. After being recruited by over 20 colleges to play football, Bill chose to attend Youngstown University where he received a full, four-year scholarship and excelled on the football field and was named an All American. At YU, he was a brother in Theta Xi Fraternity where he made some lifelong friends. He graduated with a Bachelor in Business Administration in 1965.

In 1965, Bill married Jacquelyn Thomas and they had three children. He worked several jobs, including Republic Steel and the City of Youngstown, before beginning a long career in food service. Bill managed both Burger King and Red Lobster restaurants, and in 1978, he and his family moved to Columbus when he accepted a job to manage a new Red Lobster facility. After a few years, he became the Director of Food Service for the Lazarus Department Store (later Macy’s) at Eastland Mall.

Bill married Darlene (Diller) Lewis in 1988 and became a beloved step-father to her two children. In 1992, he left Macy’s and became a sales associate for AFLAC until his retirement in 2005. In 2013, Bill and Darlene moved to Bluffton, South Carolina to enjoy retirement in a warmer climate and to be near daughter Rachel and her family. He was a member of The Church of the Cross, where he and Darlene formed many sweet friendships and enjoyed brunch with a close-knit group of dear friends almost every Sunday after church.

Bill, also known as “Lesh,” loved his family deeply and always loved family gatherings. He was very proud of his 5 children, 11 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. He was a quiet, gentle man, always kind and accepting of others.

Bill was very active in sports throughout his life, playing on softball teams in Youngstown and Columbus and helping coach his sons in baseball, football, and basketball and supporting his daughter in soccer and softball. He was an avid Ohio State Buckeye fan and attended many OSU football games with a dear group of friends, forming many sweet memories.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents William and Bettie Leshnock and his brother Don Leshnock. He is survived by Darlene, his wife of 38 years; children William (Jennifer) Leshnock, Lauren (Kevin) Hoffman, Bradley (Molly) Leshnock, Benjamin (Eliza) Lewis, and Rachel (Mike) Bagenstose; grandchildren Jacob (Jordan) Leshnock, Jessica (Jeff) Hutt, Matthew Hoffman, Mia Hoffman, William Leshnock, Joseph Leshnock, Samuel Lewis, Miriam Lewis, Elizabeth Lewis, Brady Bagenstose, Abby Bagenstose; great grandchildren Jackson Leshnock, Lucas Leshnock, Liam Leshnock, Juliana Leshnock, Max Hutt; former wife Jacquelyn (Damon) Asbury and sister-in-law Cheryl Leshnock.

A Celebration in Thanksgiving for the Life of Bill Leshnock will be held on Friday, July 24 at 11 am at The Church of the Cross at THE CHAPEL (Cross Schools Campus), 491 Buckwalter Parkway, Bluffton, with visitation with the family beginning at 10:15 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Memory of Bill Leshnock to Friends of Caroline, 329 Friends Lane, Ridgeland, SC 29936 or by donating on their website: fochospice.org. The family extends their deepest gratitude to all the hospice workers at the Friends of Caroline who ensured that Bill’s passing was comfortable and dignified.