[TheForge] Fw: Blacksmith Leon Piwoni Passes

[Schade]

Sad news. I met Leon years ago....maybe late '70's ?? at a
workshop in Cedarburg. Demonstrating were Francis Whitiker,
Dimitri Gerakeris and Bruce LePage. Quite the lineup. I knew
Leon was young then but I guess I forgot how young he was at
the time. 48 is way too young to die. Condolences to his family
and friends.

Bob
________

On Mar 5, 2009, at 8:40 AM, Mark and Sylvia Mondloch wrote:
>>
>> Greetings dear friends,
>>
>> I wish the forging community to know that Leon Piwoni, my friend, and
>> first forging teacher passed away March 1, 2009 at age 48 after a  
>> battle
>> with lung cancer.  Leon was an avid student of Francis Whitaker.   
>> Leon
>> worked with Francis in Brasstown, NC on several occasions, as well  
>> as in
>> Francis' first Colorado shop in Aspen.  Francis also demonstrated at
>> Leon's "Cedar Creek Forge" in Cedarburg, WI on three occasions in  
>> the late
>> 70's and early 80's.  Francis often said that he and Leon, double
>> striking, could forge out a pair of tongs faster than any other team.
>>
>> Through the efforts of Leon, Ruth Cook, and the late James B.  
>> English,
>> "Cedar Creek Forge" became a focalpoint in Wisconsin and the  
>> Midwest for
>> forging activities, holding annual conferences with folks as Francis,
>> Dimitri Gerakaris, Bruce LePage, and Alfred Habermann.  At the 1984  
>> ABANA
>> conference in De Pere, WI, Leon assisted Alfred in that ever  
>> memorable
>> night-time power hammer demo.
>>
>> If there was ever a man who could forge a perfect hook, it was  
>> Leon.  Many
>> of you might suggest that a lowly hook is nothing to brag about.   
>> My dear
>> friends, Leon's hooks were absolutely poetry.  His command with a  
>> hammer
>> was addresses early in his life as at age 14, Leon could swing a 3#  
>> hammer
>> with all the integrity of a pro.  His work maintained hand-forged
>> elements, rarely if ever relying on power tools......which made him a
>> darling in Francis' eye.  Beyond the retail work in the shop i.e.
>> fireplace tools, candle holders, hooks, , trivets and the like,  
>> hiis work
>> included commissioned railings, lighting, furniture and more.  Many  
>> homes
>> and businesses in Cedarburg and beyond are home to Leon's ironwork.
>>
>> I took my very first forging class with Leon as my teacher in  
>> 1979.  Leon
>> and Jim asked that I stay on to forge in exchange for knowledge.  I
>> accepted the offer, and came to the shop often to help out with the  
>> job at
>> hand.  It was there, in an 1864  limestone buildig next to Cedar  
>> Creek,
>> that the stage was set for my career as a smith.  Leon set the  
>> groundwork
>> for me as a smith.   I, along with many others, will miss him.
>>
>> ........Dan Nauman
>>
>> Rob and/or Brian.....Please print this in the AR and/or the HB as  
>> many
>> fellow smiths knew Leon.
>>
>> Fellow smiths...My e-mail address book has been lost by my server.   
>> I am
>> missing a multitude of addresses.  If you would be so kind, please  
>> forward
>> this message to as many folks as possible so those who knew Leon  
>> will get
>> this message.  Services will be held tomoorow Friday March 6, at the
>> St.Francis Borgia South Catholic Church, In Cedarburg at 6PM.  In  
>> state at
>> the chyrch at 4 pm, mass of Christian burial at 6 pm. See also
>> www.muellerfuneralhome.com
>>