Joseph B. Leckie
W&J vice president was family man
Joseph B. “Joe” Leckie, 85, whose career at Washington & Jefferson College spanned more than 36 years, died at 1:55 a.m. Thursday, December 12, 2013, in his home.
He was born October 16, 1928, in Elizabeth, a son of the late Joseph F. and Elizabeth Brown Leckie.
Mr. Leckie was a member of Faith United Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon and elder.
He was a graduate of Elizabeth High School.
Mr. Leckie, a native of Elizabeth, graduated from Washington & Jefferson College, Class of 1950. Two years later, he returned to W&J, first as an assistant director of admissions and then as director of alumni affairs from 1953 to 1960.
In 1960, he joined the New York-based financial consulting firm of Marts & Lundy. Over the next four years, he worked with dozens of clients throughout the Northeast, helping run successful campaigns at several schools and colleges. In 1964, he returned to W&J as director of admissions and was named director of development four years later. In 1979, he was named vice president of development.
Dedicated to higher education and the future of W&J, Mr. Leckie helped raise more than $56 million in voluntary support for his alma mater and also recruited hundreds of freshmen. He had been honored by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education with its distinguished service award. He also served his community as chairman of the Catawba District and a board member of Allegheny Trails Council of Boy Scouts of America. He also served as a member of the executive board of Greater Washington Area Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Leckie retired from W&J in 1993. He received the distinguished service award of W&J’s General Alumni Association during Homecoming 1993 and was awarded an honorary doctor of public service degree at W&J’s 1993 Founders Day as “an uncommon graduate whose vision, service and leadership had enriched the lives of all of those with whom he had been associated.”
Even though Mr. Leckie had time for all of the people he came in contact with and helped throughout his life, he always made time for his loving wife, children and grandchildren to be special in his life. He was definitely a family man. He enjoyed golf, traveling, spending time living in Washington and Florida and enjoying the special fun times of holidays and the many activities his grandchildren had been participating in, sometimes at the same time. It appeared as though Mr. Leckie always made time for everyone.
Surviving are his wife, Betty Lee Wonderling Leckie; children Scott (Patty) Leckie and Jim (Sherry) Leckie, both of Washington; a daughter, Susan (Bob) Harrell of Norfolk, Va.; and seven grandchildren, Kylie Leckie, Justin (Gina) Leckie, Lindsay Lehman (Matthew Wittman), Dr. Alexander Leckie, Ryan Leckie, Jessica Lehman (Dr. Arman Zijerdi) and Elizabeth Leckie.
A sister, Elizabeth Leckie, is deceased.
Friends will be received from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday in Warco-Falvo Funeral Home Inc., Wilson at East Katherine avenues, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, December 16, in Faith United Presbyterian Church, 900 East Beau Street, Washington, with the Rev. Jason Hefner officiating. The public is welcome. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Faith United Presbyterian Church, 900 East Beau Street, Washington PA 15301, or to Joseph B.’50 and Betty L. Leckie Endowed Scholarship Fund II. Condolences may be expressed at www.WarcoFalvoFuneralHome.com.