Life Trustee Leonard E. Kingsley '51 died on Saturday, August 11, in San Francisco of prostate cancer. Described by The San Francisco Chronicle as a "businessman and civic leader with a love of the arts and a commitment to social causes," he served as an Alumni Trustee from 1983 to 1987 and a Charter Trustee from 1988 to 1994, at which time he was elected a Life Trustee.
A native of Larchmont, N.Y., Len was educated at the Loomis School in Connecticut before arriving at Hamilton in 1947. Following service in the Army, he earned an M.B.A. from Harvard University. In 1964, Len founded the Montgomery Capital Corp., followed by Kingsley, Schreck, Wells & Reichling, later known as KSW Properties, a real estate investment group.
In an e-mail to the Hamilton College community, President Joan Hinde Stewart wrote, "In his first communication to me, Len noted that he arrived in San Francisco in 1957 'with my wife, a 6-month old baby boy, a dog and no job.' Over several decades in San Francisco, he served as president of the Planning and Urban Research Association, the Big Brothers Association, and the Board of Trustees for the Fine Arts Museums, as a governor and officer of the Symphony Association, and as chairman of the Human Rights Commission. Among numerous awards, he was honored as Big Brother of the Year in 1966 and in 1972, as Man of the Year by the Council for Civic Unity, a civil rights organization."
Stewart continued, "In that same first letter to me, Len wrote '[m]y life here has been quite marvelous and I have tried in the ways I was taught at Hamilton to make a contribution to my community in a variety of ways, and hope I have done that.'"
Retired Episcopal Bishop William Swing, a friend and occasional golfing partner who was quoted in The San Francisco Chronicle, spoke of Kingsley's contributions and his "deep regard for making sure that people who had the least advantage in life had a better chance for an even playing field."
Len is survived by his wife, Sylvia Morton Hunter Kingsley and two children, Stephen Kingsley and Andrea Kingsley Rippee, and four grandchildren. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at 1661 Pine Street, Apt. 1023, San Francisco, CA 94109. A memorial service will be held on September 10 at 4 p.m. at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.
A native of Larchmont, N.Y., Len was educated at the Loomis School in Connecticut before arriving at Hamilton in 1947. Following service in the Army, he earned an M.B.A. from Harvard University. In 1964, Len founded the Montgomery Capital Corp., followed by Kingsley, Schreck, Wells & Reichling, later known as KSW Properties, a real estate investment group.
In an e-mail to the Hamilton College community, President Joan Hinde Stewart wrote, "In his first communication to me, Len noted that he arrived in San Francisco in 1957 'with my wife, a 6-month old baby boy, a dog and no job.' Over several decades in San Francisco, he served as president of the Planning and Urban Research Association, the Big Brothers Association, and the Board of Trustees for the Fine Arts Museums, as a governor and officer of the Symphony Association, and as chairman of the Human Rights Commission. Among numerous awards, he was honored as Big Brother of the Year in 1966 and in 1972, as Man of the Year by the Council for Civic Unity, a civil rights organization."
Stewart continued, "In that same first letter to me, Len wrote '[m]y life here has been quite marvelous and I have tried in the ways I was taught at Hamilton to make a contribution to my community in a variety of ways, and hope I have done that.'"
Retired Episcopal Bishop William Swing, a friend and occasional golfing partner who was quoted in The San Francisco Chronicle, spoke of Kingsley's contributions and his "deep regard for making sure that people who had the least advantage in life had a better chance for an even playing field."
Len is survived by his wife, Sylvia Morton Hunter Kingsley and two children, Stephen Kingsley and Andrea Kingsley Rippee, and four grandchildren. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at 1661 Pine Street, Apt. 1023, San Francisco, CA 94109. A memorial service will be held on September 10 at 4 p.m. at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.
