Toledoan oversaw city school cafeterias

7/24/2001

Beatrice A. Lenix, 78, a former food service manager for Toledo Public Schools, died Saturday in her Toledo home due to cancer, a family member said.

Mrs. Lenix graduated from Libbey High School and worked most of her life, her brother, Lester Holewinski, said.

When she joined Toledo Public Schools, she worked in the cafeteria at Bowsher High School.

She rose through the ranks and became an area manager for the school district, traveling to various schools.

“She enjoyed everyone, and everybody enjoyed having her around,” Mr. Holewinski said. “She really enjoyed her job with the schools.”

Walter Bonkowski, the former assistant director of food services with Toledo Public Schools, said Mrs. Lenix's friendly personality helped her be successful at her job. Mr. Bonkowski said he remembered Mrs. Lenix as being likable, but conscious about her work.

“She was well-liked, but she was also well-respected,” Mr. Bonkowski said. “We had three supervisors who oversaw food services at all of the schools, and she was one of them. She was a diligent worker who cared about what she was doing, but she was well-liked because of her concern.”

Mr. Holewinski said his sister and her late husband, Marcus Lenix, enjoyed quiet times at the couple's cabin in Gowganda, Ont. He said the site was about 400 miles north of Toronto and provided the couple with a scenic and relaxing place away from Toledo.

“It was really picturesque up there,” Mr. Holewinski said. “I visited them a couple of times, and it was beautiful. It was a nice setting for her and her husband.”

Mrs. Lenix was a member of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Catholic Church and formerly Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

Mr. Holewinski said Mrs. Lenix's husband died about nine years ago. She had cancer for about the last 18 months.

Surviving are her sons, Mark and Luke; brother, Lester Holewinski; sister, Eleanor Palicki; six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

The body will be in the Sujkowski and Son Funeral Home, Airport Highway, after 6 p.m. today, with a Scripture service at 7:30 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church.