Leslie Lindsay Smith

Leslie Lindsay Smith of Mokena, IL, passed away peacefully in the company of family on September 13, 2021 at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert (Bob) Smith, in 2013, and first husband, Rudolph (Rudy) Lindich, Jr., in 2020.
Leslie is survived by her sister, Pamela Seavey, her son Bill Lindich (Tawnie Cisneros), and daughters Kristin LeDuc (David) and Jennifer Lindsay. She also leaves three grandsons, Hudson Lindich, David LeDuc and Porter Towery. In addition, Leslie leaves a number of in-laws, nieces and friends all over the country.
Leslie was born in Chicago, IL in 1944, the daughter of Edith and Philip Dawe, and raised by Edith and her second husband, Jack Lindsay. She grew up in nearby Park Forest. Her childhood friends remember Leslie as a vivacious, daring and confident young woman who was never afraid to stretch limits or expand horizons.
Leslie’s first marriage produced the three children that brought her pride and joy over the years. She was always committed to improving herself, studying and working in a number of roles before she became a certified paralegal in the early 1990s. From then, she specialized in patent and intellectual property law until 2018, having served with several prestigious law firms in Minneapolis, MN and Madison, WI.
Leslie contended with multiple health issues for several years, moving to Chicago’s far south suburbs in the summer of 2018 to stay near family. She lived in Lockport and Mokena before admission to Sunny Hill Nursing Home in Joliet in June of 2021.
Leslie’s greatest joys in life were her husband, Bob Smith, and the wonderful dogs that came through her life, particularly Ellie, who now resides with her daughter Kristin and family. Leslie’s big heart always found room for one more person or pet in her life, and as a consequence she was rarely lonely.
Leslie requested that her ashes be scattered with Bob’s at a special place she identified along the banks of the Wisconsin River. Her wish would be for donations to pet rescue organizations in lieu of flowers, a fitting tribute for a woman who left this world a more loving and welcoming place than she found it.