Leonard "Leni" Wolfenson

Leni Wolfenson was born in Brazil on October 16, 1955 to Lili Stern and Jose Wolfenson. Before coming to America, he formed a close bond with his grandparents Zalman and Anita Sternin.

He attended Oberlin College in Ohio and New York University. With his friend Hugo Estenssoro, he founded the newspaper “Brazil Today,” which was featured on Varig Airlines and launched his career in printing. In the 1980s, Leni settled in Greenwich Village, at the center of New York’s printing industry, where he and his life partner, Dolores Cotten, opened Smudge Printing on Carmine Street. For fifteen years they ran the shop together, earning deep admiration from clients who valued his creative design sense, technical skill, and dedication to enhancing every project.

Leni loved to cook and was an imaginative and generous chef. He had a lifelong passion for music, from opera and jazz to Bossa Nova, and often sang while preparing meals for family and friends.

He is survived by his partner Dolores Cotten, cousins Sonia Sternin in Uruguay, Sergio in Sweden, Stephen, Joanne and Erica Schipani, and many cherished friends including Shawn Cunningham and Valdir Cruz. Leni was predeceased by his mother, Lili Sternin Pfeiffer, and his nephew Vincent Schipani.