Thelma Lois Lesiak

Thelma Lois Lesiak, age 56, died unexpectedly on Sunday, October 1, 2023 in Franklin Township NJ.

Born August 1, 1967 in Taunton MA, Thelma was the daughter of Albert Mendoca and the late, Carole (Rounds) Mendoca. She grew up in Taunton and eventually her work brought her to the Chicago IL area.

Thelma worked as a Director of Quality in the pharmaceutical industry and had just started working for QuVa Pharmaceuticals in Bloomsbury NJ. Ten years ago, Thelma met Anthony Lesiak through Match.com and the two were married three years later, first living in Chicago, and then moved to Maryland, Rhode Island and Miami FL before accepting the new position in New Jersey.

She grew up loving sports – she loved the Boston Bruins and, as a Tom Brady fan, was a big New England Patriots follower. Once married, she also grew fond of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Cubs.

The holidays brought out the kid in her, Thelma absolutely loved celebrating – it didn’t necessarily matter which holiday was upcoming – she would immerse herself in decorations and spirit for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, just to name a few. She loved to cook and her family often could not decide which favorite pie was her best – blueberry, pumpkin squash, or her famous apple pie were familiar choices for family debates. Thelma kept a garden wherever she lived so as to enjoy fresh tomatoes, blueberries and other garden treats.

Thelma and Anthony were centered in their Christian faith, attending the West Ridge Community Church in Elgin IL. Even when they could not attend services in-person, often they would follow the service through livestreaming. Thelma volunteered at the church while she lived in Illinois as a Guest Services Host. They enjoyed going to the movies, many times to see the latest Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings movie. Often she had read the many novels for those movies, the longer the book, the better.

She loved all animals, especially cats and dogs, however most importantly, Thelma was all about time spent with family. Informal gatherings were commonplace, and she treasured those moments with passion. Thelma was always a ‘people-person’ - she touched the lives of so many and she will be greatly missed by those that knew her.

Thelma is survived by her loving husband of seven years, Anthony J. Lesiak, her father, Albert Mendoca of Taunton MA, her sister and brother-in-law, Christine and Louis Benevides of Taunton MA, her nephews, Ryan and Cody Benevides, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Kathleen and Gary Bruce of Streamwood IL, her sister-in-law, Hillary Larak and her nephew, Nicholas Larak, as well as her two dogs, Daisy and Emma and several friends and colleagues.

Cremation services are private and under the direction of Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For additional information, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.