It is with deep sadness that we write about the passing of Leonard just before Christmas last year. It was expected but not really. Leonard was born in Washington, DC and spent his young life in Ft. Hunt, Virginia. During this time, he attended a small one room school until the age of 9 when his father and mother, Percy Edward Smith and Julia Olive Chowning Smith, moved to California and settled in Daly City. He became a big city kid and enjoyed life with his older brother and sister, Edward Smith and Marcia Smith.
After spending four years at San Francisco State studying and graduating with a degree in business, he worked on a ship with the Merchant Marines, with destinations to Hawaii and sailing down the coast of South America. With that background, he discovered a passion for travel and hitchhiked through Europe for six months before coming home and trying to settle down. One day shortly after Europe, he read an advertisement on a matchbook cover for a 9-month computer course at Control Data Institute. That computer course gave him his future career path – he succeeded in the computer industry for more than 40 years.
Len and his wife Lorelei “Lea” Smith met and married, and after living for a few years on the Peninsula in the Bay Area, they found their dream home in Livermore where his two children, Christina and Garrett, were born and raised. He was always a strong supporter of his family, and we considered him our “rock” who was always there to lean on for support. Both of his children gifted us with our precious grandchildren, Kellen and Ronin Beltz and Oliver and Scarlett Smith, all born within four years of each other. Over the last 12 years of being grandparents we shared some of our fondest years with family trips and holidays together.
Len retired in 2010 after more than 25 years at Bank of America, where he was a dedicated computer systems analyst. His career brought him much pride and he was valued as a team member and leader for his analytical skills. But the best was yet to come – after retirement, it didn’t take long for his other passions in life to be fulfilled. He joined and became an active member of the SIRS group (Sons in Retirement) where he volunteered in many positions over the next 12 years. He also joined the Livermore Amador Valley Garden Club, and only just “retired” from both of those groups this last year. The pride of retirement was topped off after meeting Richard and Wanda Finn, and volunteering at their farm at least two days a week, growing vegetables that were then donated to his church, the First Presbyterian Church in Livermore. He soon became the “tractor guy” driving the little orange “Kabuta,” rototilling fields and turning the mulch piles. He did it all at the farm, from planting and harvesting to packing the produce for distribution on Sunday mornings.
Len is survived by his family and friends, including an extra special group known fondly as the “Faith Group.” They meant so much to Len and Lea and supported us emotionally and physically over all the challenges life brings through more than 25 years. We are deeply sad, but ever so thankful for all the support over the last few years with his health issues. He had an undying determination to persist and overcome those health issues. He was able to finish a flagstone pathway in his yard, move 60 lb. bags of cement out of the rain that Sunday and then draw up a design for his beloved gates that will carry the sign, “Designed by Len, and built by those who love him.” As you look around his home, you’ll see all the treasures he built, both inside and outside.
We miss you so much but find comfort in knowing you are now “flying free” in spirit. Should anyone wish to make donations in his memory, feel free to send them to the SIRS group (Roger Grimm c.o. SIR, Branch 101, 3034 Chateau Way, Livermore, California, 94550, https://sirinc2.org/branch101/) or the First Presbyterian Church (2020 5th Street, Livermore, CA, 94550, www.fpcl.us).
