Leslie Coshun
Leslie Coshun
July 25th, 1947 – December 28th, 2025
*Author’s Note: The following excerpts in our “Life Stories” are from the Celebration of Life service for Leslie Coshun for you to read, reflect, and pay your respects privately. Her granddaughter and daughter-in-law shared heartfelt memories and blessings, and she was laid to rest at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park where she is surrounded by family. It was a lovely honor to learn about Leslie. She will be dearly missed by many.
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Leslie was born on July 25th, 1947, in Kenosha, WI. A lifelong resident of Kenosha, she grew up with her three siblings and graduated from Bradford High School.
As a young teen, Leslie was a carhop at the Chat ‘N Chew Drive-In on 52nd Street. One day, a guy pulled up in a ’62 Chevy. Leslie noticed the car first. She walked over to wait on the guy in that car then went back inside and immediately told her friend, “I’m going to marry him.” The guy in the ’62 Chevy was indeed her future husband, Dick. Dick went back to the Chat ‘N Chew a lot to see his favorite carhop. While test driving a Volkswagen one day, Dick stopped by to ask Leslie out on their first date to go see a “flick.” Leslie didn’t know what that was, but she got all dressed up for the occasion. Leslie learned that a “flick” is a movie, and they went to see James Bond in Goldfinger.
And the rest is history- the beautiful love story of over 58 years of marriage. On October 14th, 1967, Leslie and Dick united in marriage at First Congregational Church. They welcomed two sons into the world and enjoyed decades of life and love together. Later in life, they travelled to all 4 Hawaiian Islands and renewed their wedding vows on the beach.
In addition to her time as a carhop, Leslie worked at American Motors and then Snap-On Tools, where she dedicated 17 years of service before retiring in 2005. Leslie and Dick enjoyed living in Arizona for the past decade and have lots of friends out there.
Leslie was known for her loving nature, her fierce determination, and a bit of stubbornness that only added to her charm. She found joy in life’s simple pleasures, like mowing her lawn while enjoying a Diet Coke. Ah, the sound of a Diet Coke can being opened. Leslie loved that! And she didn’t just mow the lawn. She obsessed over the lawn- meticulously edging and picking up stray leaves to ensure landscape perfection.
She did not like to sit still and was always active. She was known for her competitive spirit and her love of bowling, earning induction into the Kenosha Bowling Hall of Fame in 2007. Leslie was also a back-to-back senior women’s bowling champion. She enjoyed golfing and deeply valued the friendships and accomplishments she shared both on the lanes and on the course.
Leslie was a loving wife, devoted mother, and proud grandmother. She loved watching her sons play baseball and was supportive of their endeavors. She was a very attentive, protective, and doting mother. She adored being a grandma, and she loved being called “Mema” by her cherished grandchildren, Jordan, Collin, Kelsey, and Lauren.
As Leslie’s health declined, she could count on her dear husband, and he did a wonderful job lovingly taking care of her.
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There are so many stories to tell and memories to relive. Please share the memories, share the love today and in the days and years to come so that her legacy may endure. Go bowling, mow your lawn, pop open a Diet Coke, and remember Leslie.
Leslie will be forever loved and missed by her husband, Dick, her son, Richard, her saint of a daughter-in-law, Jennifer, her 4 cherished grandchildren, her dog, Zoey, who followed her everywhere, and many other family members and friends.
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As we reflect on Leslie’s 78 years, it may feel like it all went by far too quickly. While no length of time with our loved ones will ever seem long enough, know that it was an absolute blessing to have had Leslie present on this earth for almost 8 decades. Her time here and her time spent with each of you was a precious gift. When your world is feeling a little too empty, may you fill it with gratitude that your time here overlapped with Leslie’s and that you were blessed to know her.
May you find solace as you celebrate her life and beautiful journey into the great beyond. May you know in your heart that she is at peace, she is home now in the loving embrace of our Lord in heaven. She is reunited with the many loved ones she had been missing including her parents, William and Delores, her son, Rob, her siblings, William, Jerry, and Kristina, and many beloved dogs. She is surrounded by love.
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Mother Theresa said, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
Know that this goodbye is really a see you later. May thoughts of Leslie continue to bring warmth to your heart and a smile to your face until you see each other again someday. As Leslie would say, “I love you to the moon and back. Chow, baby! Arrivederci!”
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Leslie, may you rest in eternal peace knowing you are dearly loved.
My sincere condolences and love, Holly