Leonid Konstantinovich Borowsky was born on 2 August 1928 in the town of Slonim (Eastern Poland - presently Belarus) in the family of Konstantine and Anna Borowski, who were pious parents. His father was a specialist in the sawmill industry.
Leonid completed his secondary school education, and after the Second World War he finished technical school in Germany. He was one of the youngest participants in the Vlasov movement and was for a certain time a prisoner of war in Platling, Germany..
I became acquainted with Leonid and his family in 1969 after his arrival in Washington. Until my retirement we worked together. Leonid was a cultured man with a sincere Russian heart; he was an uncompromising anticommunist, and he keenly felt all the calamities of Russia and its people. He was a sincere Orthodox believer. Together with his wife Nadia, who departed to a better world in 1990, he not only raised three sons in the Orthodox faith and gave them an excellent education, but he was also able to foster the Orthodox faith in his daughtersinlaw the wives of his eldest and middle sons and not only in them. By his abundantly loving heart and by his sincere love, he fostered love for God in his eight grandchildren. There was not one Sunday in which he did not come to church with his grandchildren in which he did not lift them up to the icons and bring them to communion. With diligence they crossed themselves, kissed the icons and put up candles. He often brought his grandchildren to his home and played whole days with them. He was proud of his children and grandchildren, declaring that God gave him such an abundant posterity so that in this he would see consolation in life.
Leonid was honorable and dependable; he tried to help everyone, and he never refused help to anyone. He tried to live with people in peace and harmony, and if he thought that he had offended anyone, then he tried as quickly as possible to apologize and be reconciled. He was dependable, and if he promised anything, then it would be possible to say in advance that it would be done. Therefore, he had many acquaintances and friends, which was confirmed by the number of those who came to his funeral. In spite of the fact that the funeral was on a workday, more than 100 persons, including more than ten colleagues, came to accompany him on his final journey.
Yes, an honorable and cultured man, the patriarch of a large Russian family which is an example in our Parish, has departed from us.
Peace to thy dust, Leonid! May the American earth the homeland of thy beautiful children be as soft as down to thee.
Eternal memory, dear Leonid Konstantinovich!
V.M. Pawlenko,
a friend of the family