LeRoy "Lee" Rahn

RAHN, LeRoy "Lee"

LeRoy "Lee" Rahn, 78, died on Friday, November 22 at UCLA Medical Center after brain surgery to remove a blood clot. He was surrounded by his family.

Lee grew up and attended school in Emmaus, Pennsylvania before heading west to USC, where he graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1958. He belonged to Delta Sigma Chi fraternity as well as two honorary EE fraternities-HKN and TBPi. Lee attended NYU Law School while working at Bell Laboratories' patent department. He received his JD in 1961.

After he passed the bar exam, Rahn, and wife Peggy, left Manhattan for Munich for two years, where he worked in the patent department of Siemens Halske. They traveled extensively in their VW bus. The couple moved to Pasadena in 1965. Lee joined intellectual property law firm Christie, Parker and Hale, where he worked for the next 45 years. He was active in the firm and also served as president of the Los Angeles Patent Law Association. Upon retirement, Lee joined Pasadena Angels and was also active in supporting Learning Works Charter School, which turns dropouts into graduates.

Lee loved sports, was a four letter man at Emmaus High School. He played freshman basketball at USC. He was disciplined with regular exercising, squash, skiing, tennis, travel, and running with his Viszla in the Arroyo were later pleasurable pursuits.

Rahn is survived by his wife of 55 years, Peggy, son Kurt, daughter-in-law Mikala and two grandchildren, Max 17 and Madeline 12, and daughter Ann Rahn Benson, son-in-law Stephen and four grandchildren, Adele 11, Margaret 8, Whitney 6 and Fletcher 3 as well as his sister, Claire Alice Rahn Newhard from Allentown, PA.

Lee has run and faithfully completed the race that was set before him. He was a loving and faithful husband, a beloved father and grandfather, a lawyer who upheld the highest traditions of his profession and a friend to many. Lee could always be depended on to be kind, fair and generous. His humor and positive attitude got him through some tough health issues in recent years. We called him the miracle man.
A celebration of life will be held at Pasadena United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Boulevard, at 2pm on Saturday, December 21. In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting donations to Learning Works Charter School, 90 N. Daisy St., Pasadena 91107.