Necrology

Charles George Leonhardt '48

May. 17, 1927-Oct. 16, 2020

Charles George Leonhardt ’48 was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 17, 1927, the son of Herbert and Anna Vonderschmidt Leonhardt. He prepared for college at Adelphi Academy. Like many Hamilton men of his era, his studies were interrupted by service to his country. 

“Quite a shock starting at Hamilton in the summer of 1944 with a student body of 28,” he recalled in a reunion yearbook. “The 1944-45 school year went to a whopping 50+ students. I then enlisted in the United States Navy and was discharged in 1947 as a pharmacist’s mate 2nd class to return to a mob of 500+.”

On the Hill, Leonhardt joined Squires and the Biology Club. He focused his studies in biology, German, and chemistry, and took care of the rats, mice, and rabbits in the biology lab.

After completing his Hamilton degree in 1949, he enrolled at Albany Medical College and received his M.D. in 1953. He served his internship and residency at New Britain General Hospital in Connecticut, where he stayed and became a beloved and respected family practitioner for more than 20 years, according to a published obituary. 

He served as an assistant medical examiner for the State of Connecticut for 15 years and conducted a well-baby clinic for the Salvation Army. After leaving his solo practice in 1976, he joined The Hartford Insurance Co., eventually becoming its medical director. 

Following his retirement in 1992, Leonhardt and his wife, Evelyn, whom he had wed in 1952, enjoyed traveling to such destinations as Yucatan, New Zealand, and Australia. He also found time for fishing, woodworking, nature, and serving as a member of the local Kiwanis.

Leonhardt died on Oct. 16, 2020, at the age of 93. Survivors include two children, four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. His brother, Herbert Albin Leonhardt ’51, predeceased him.

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