Lenora “Lenny” Ada Yenny

Lenora “Lenny” Ada Yenny

April 6, 1942 – Dec. 28, 2021

Lenora “Lenny” Ada Yenny (Scannell) was called home on December 28, 2021. 

Lenny was born on April 6, 1942, in South Boston, Mass. (better known as “Southie”).  She grew up learning the value of hard work from her Italian mother, Jane, who worked as a grocery store clerk, and Irish father, Michael, who was a fishmonger.  Lenny grew up with her parents, two sisters and one brother, and was also surrounded by lots of other relatives – aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Home is where she learned some of her excellent authentic cooking and baking skills.

As a teenager, Lenny worked in a grocery store, then a bakery, and continued through early adulthood, eventually becoming a professional cake decorator.  She learned to whip out those frosting florals quickly and beautifully.  She liked to tell the story of how she once decorated 80 cakes in a few hours for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston.

It was around that time that she met a young sailor from Wyoming named Chancey Yenny.  The two were set up on a blind date by her cousin, and they instantly hit it off. They were married a year later and remained together for 58 years until Chancey’s death earlier this year.

Lenny and Chancey remained in Boston for a few years, where they had two children, Ernest and Rachel. They later moved to Greybull, Wyo., where Lenny gave birth to her third child, Michael. 

After moving to Greybull, Lenny continued her tradition of baking and cake decorating. It wasn’t long before her homemade cinnamon rolls gained a huge following!  Tour buses would schedule stops at Lenny’s house to buy her famous treats.  Lenny even bought her first car with earnings from those baked goods.  For a time, she taught a cake decorating class at night to the locals.  Eventually, Lenny bought her own café in Greybull and turned it into a success, perfecting her pie recipes in the process.

Lenny’s skills and talents were numerous.  In addition to cooking and baking, she was known for having a huge garden, which she carefully tended. She also liked to sew, make pinecone wreaths, and do other various crafts.  She was a prolific writer and illustrator, having written several volumes of a children’s books series - The Dino Kids of Greybull Gulch.  But, she is probably best known for her incredible oil paintings that decorate her house. She was an extremely skilled artist whose subjects include religious icons, landscapes, and some ships.  Surprisingly, Lenny didn’t start painting until she was in her 50s, and she learned from watching Bob Ross videos.

A devout Catholic, Lenny attended church regularly, where she sometimes sang in the choir.  She also taught CCD classes for several years. 

If you were blessed to be a relative, friend, or neighbor of Lenny, you’ve undoubtedly experienced her generosity and kindness.  She was constantly bringing people food she cooked, vegetables from her garden, and seeds and starters from her plants.  When this lady with the great Boston accent started talking, you knew to listen because she was full of recipes, gardening tips, and fun stories!    

Lenny is survived by her children: Ernest Yenny (Lisa Delucchi) of Greybull, and Michael Yenny of Basin; sisters Donna and Jane Scannell; grandchildren: Christa Genger (Jans Buchacher) of Greybull;  Sarah Yenny of Havre, Mont.; Grace Yenny of Tulsa, Okla.; and Chancey Yenny (Arika) of Cody, Wyo; step-grandchildren: Calvin, Colton and Aidan Farrow of Greybull, Wyo.; and great grandchildren, Abel and Noah Yenny, of Cody, Wyo.

She was preceded in death by her husband Chancey Yenny, daughter Rachel Yenny, brother Michael Scannell, and step-granddaughter Yeraldin Payano.

Lenny, you will forever be in our hearts and in the arms of God.

A funeral will be held on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2021, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Greybull.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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