Richard Kimball Leiser

Leiser, Richard Kimball
Apr. 28, 1939 - May 9, 2015
On Saturday, May 9, 2015, Richard Kimball Leiser, known as Kimball, died peacefully at home surrounded by his wife of twenty years, Judith Marsh, and his four daughters. He was 76 years old. Kimball was born in Rio de Janeiro to Walter Otto Leiser of Dueren, Germany and Mary Rivington Kimball of Bristol, Connecticut. What was intended as a visit to Brazil by his adventurous parents led to more than 44 years residing in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, where they raised Kimball, daughter Mary Lou (Brooks) and son Peter Dirk. Kimball attended Yale University and Michigan State University as an undergraduate and completed his MBA at Harvard University. Early in his professional career, Kimball pursued his love for international living, marketing and business management with positions at W.R. Grace, Pyrex and Corning Glass Works. His daughter, Elizabeth Lisa (Kim) was born in Cambridge, MA, followed by Mary Mollie in Bogota, Colombia and Catherine (Christopher) and Sandra (Leanne), both in Sao Paulo. After their time in South America, Kimball and his first wife Sarah spent several years in Corning, New York and Selb, Germany, where Kimball held executive positions with Corning Glass Works. Following his career in the private sector, Kimball pursued his deep commitment to education. He held the position of business manager at George School, an independent Quaker boarding school located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where three of his daughters attended. His involvement with George School evolved to building a planned giving program that helped seed the institution's endowment and long-term commitment by its donors. During the nearly twenty years supporting George School, Kimball also provided strategic counsel on fundraising and endowment efforts to several independent schools across the country and arts institutions within the Philadelphia area. Kimball often traveled internationally with his wife Judy, where he enjoyed opportunities to speak the languages he had passionately mastered: German, Portuguese and English. His love for languages included conversational French and Italian along with some Japanese. He enjoyed cycling and competitive sailing and often pursued his love for music and the arts through involvement in various organized choirs. In addition to his wife and children, Kimball is survived by his stepson Robert Cohen (Sara), his siblings Mary Lou and Peter Dirk, his four grandchildren, Riley, Lewis, Maya and Isabel, his first wife Sarah and his cousin Hans Joachim Teetz. A private celebration of Kimball's life will take place in June in Vermont where his family spent summers over the last generations. In accordance with Kimball's wishes, donations may be made to Vermont Hospice Respite House, 99 Allen Brook Lane, Williston, Vermont 05495. Kimball may be kindly remembered at icscremationandfunerals.org