Leonard E. Kotkiewicz, 61, passed away suddenly of a heart attack on Sunday, October 15, 2017.  He was born in Buffalo, New York and later moved with his parents and two sisters to Cheektowaga, New York.  He graduated from the State University of Buffalo in 1978 with a degree in Biology.  He did extensive graduate coursework in Geology, Biology, and Geography at various locations within the United States.  He is also a graduate of the United States Army Corps of Engineers Executive Development Program.  Lenny was a member of the Society for American Military Engineers (SAME) and the National Security Professional Program.

Following in his father's career, in July 1978, Lenny decided to go into "the family business" and began working for the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as a Construction Inspector in the Buffalo District.  Due to his ability to think strategically and work relationships with the local government to provide quicker solutions on the job site, he was promoted to Regulatory Project Manager after just one year.  This led to 36 distinguished years with the Corps.

In 1979, Lenny moved because of his promotion to New York City and worked at the North Atlantic Division of USACE having various positions within the Regulatory program until 1998.  Within that time, he served a special assignment at HQUSACE in 1986 and in 1987 became a member of the USACE component of the Vice-Presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief.

That same year, Lenny's life changed forever when he met Teri Grajewski from Staten Island, New York.  They married in November of 1989, merging two magnificent Polish families over a four day weekend of ceremonies and celebrations.  Beginning their lifetime of travel and adventures together, they honeymooned in Egypt.  Teri still wears a cartouche Lenny purchased for her in Cairo inscribed with Teri on one side and Lenny on the other, telling people "Teri and Lenny welded together forever."  They lived in Edison, New Jersey before moving further south to North Brunswick.  They were blessed with two wonderful children, Alexander and Carolyn.  Lenny would often say his children were his greatest source of pride and joy.

From 1993-2003, Lenny served as Deputy Chief of Operations, Readiness and Regulatory in New York.  In this role, he led six Districts in the full range of Regulatory functions while supporting various details for his expertise.  Two details of note were his support to FEMA for Hurricane Floyd support and his managing of the infrastructure for the District of Columbia's Public Schools.  On September 11 ^th , 2001 and for a number of months after, he assisted in the Corps Disaster Recovery efforts from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.  He presented at the Pomerania 2002 Conference on Civil Military Emergency Preparedness in Szczecin, Poland on The US Army's Role in Response to the Attacks of 9-11 .

His experience in Emergency Management led to his promotion in 2003 to USACE-HQ in Washington, D.C. as the Chief of Civil Emergency Management and Deputy Chief of Homeland Security.

It was this year, he and his family moved to Chartwell in Severna Park, meeting their cherished neighbors and community families.

While at Headquarters, he directed the USACE Critical Infrastructure Program, developed and executed many initiatives for the Department of Defense and Army objects for the Civil Military Emergency Preparedness Program and led collaborations for the Department of Homeland Security catastrophic disaster scenarios.  This led to his role in the Interagency and International community by holding the positions of Deputy for Transatlantic Division Regional Integration Team, Deputy Chief of Interagency and International Support Branch, and Chief of Security Assistance Branch.

Lenny spoke on several occasions to the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce as on the US Army Corps of Engineers Progress in Afghanistan .  He was also an invited speaker to the HQUSACE/GAO Commemoration of the 9-11 Attacks, the USACE Small Business Conference, and the Infrastructure Security Partnership Annual Congress.

Lenny retired in 2013 from the US Army Corps of Engineers.  He was lauded for his strategic leadership and relationship building skills.  He used these skills to integrate International mission solutions that became interagency doctrine with such partners as various state and local governments, The Department of Energy, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Defense.  At retirement, he received The Army Engineer Association's, The Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal for inspirational leadership.

Through 36 years of selfless government service, outstanding leadership, and exceptional performance, Lenny had a world-wide impact in the area of national emergency disaster relief, energy, and national security strategy and interagency collaboration and through his achievements dramatically advanced the national emergency disaster relief, energy, and security objectives of the US Army, the Department of Defense, and the nation.

In 2014, he became the Vice President for End Market, National Governments for AECOM in Annapolis Junction, working on a number of projects in the Middle East, Brazil, and Australia.

In his spare time, he volunteered as a Mentor with SCORE helping raise the next generation of leaders.  He also enjoyed in the past volunteering with his son, Alex's, Boy Scout Troop 855 (especially the Klondike Derbies), the Kinder Farm Fall Fun Fests, Our Lady of the Fields Winter Relief Homeless Shelters, The Naval Academy Plebe Sponsor Program, and the Naval Chaplain's Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner.  He always sought to help his extended family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers in any way he could.  He particularly liked helping neighbors by personally snow-blowing the street after snowstorms.  He liked reminding himself of his Buffalo roots.  Most of all he loved his wife and children.  Traveling and spending time with them, and supporting them in their activities was his hobby, purpose, life's joy.  He was truly a model Christian, Husband, and Father.  He will be greatly missed.

Lenny was the very much beloved husband of Theresa (Teri) and a devoted and loving father of Alexander and Carolyn. He is survived by his sisters, Suzanne Wyatt of Henrietta, New York and Linda Hora of Cheektowaga, New York, and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Matilda and Leonard R. Kotkiewicz.

Friends may visit on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20, 2017 from 2-4 p.m. & 6-8 p.m. at the Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Hwy. Severna Park, MD 21146. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated on Saturday October 21, 2017 at 11 a.m. in the Our Lady of the Fields Roman Catholic Church, 1070 Cecil Ave. Millersville, MD 21108. Interment in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to FisherHouse.org or IamNathan.org

Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com