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Leonard Garment Obituary
Garment, who had been ill, died Saturday at his Manhattan home, his wife, Suzanne Garment, said Monday.
Garment and Nixon met when Nixon joined the law firm where Garment was a partner in 1963. The two men became close, and Garment went to work in the Nixon White House, serving on a number of projects and becoming White House counsel.
The Watergate scandal developed from a break-in at Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972 and the Nixon administration's subsequent efforts to cover up its involvement in it.
As Watergate unfolded, Garment encouraged Nixon not to destroy tapes of his conversations that came from a recording system Nixon had installed in the White House. The conversations involved Nixon and various officials and staff members in the White House.
When the Watergate scandal broke and the system came to light, prosecutors demanded the tapes to know what Nixon had said. The tapes played a major role in the erosion of Nixon's public support and led to his resignation.
Garment left the White House in 1973 before Nixon's resignation and became a high-profile Washington lawyer. His clients included televangelist Oral Roberts and financier Marc Rich.
Garment was born in Brooklyn in May 1924, the son of a Lithuanian immigrant father and a Polish immigrant mother. He went to Brooklyn College and later to Brooklyn Law School.
An avid musician, he played the clarinet and the saxophone and even performed in musical gigs in various bands. That love of music would follow him throughout his life, and he was among the founders of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. He later served as its chairman. Besides his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Dr. Ann Garment, and his brother, Martin Garment. Garment's first wife died in 1977. Another daughter died in 2011, and his son died in 2012. He and Suzanne Garment married in 1980.
Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
25 Entries
July 26, 2013
MAY GOD BE WITH THE FAMILY,HAPPY ARE THE MERICIFUL,SINCE THEY WILL BE SHOWN MERCY...matt.5:4...sorry for your loss
TONISHA
July 24, 2013
Sorry for your loss. May you find comfort from the promise of God found at Revelations 20:13,14.
Donald Pearline
July 19, 2013
To Anne and her family,
My sincere condolences on your loss. It's never easy to lose a parent.
How you can show support
Margaret
July 19, 2013
May the wife of Mr.Leonard Garment know that,He will certainly turn to the prayer of those stripped [of everything], And not despise their prayer.- Psalms 102:17. For He is the hearer of prayers. I am sorry for your loss.
July 19, 2013
With deepest sympathy to the Garmemt family during your time of grief...GOD is for you a refuge and strength, A help that is there to be found during difficult times...May GOD provide you with peace and comfort to endure the days ahead...(Psalm 62:8).
Ray Allen
July 18, 2013
Sympathy & kindest regards to the Garment family & very many friends wherever they may be. God bless 1 & all. Take care.
July 18, 2013
May you draw comfort from fond memories and prayers. (Phillipians 4:6,7) My condolences to the family.
Wilson family
July 18, 2013
Our hearts grieve with you during this sad time. Romans 15:33.
VA
July 18, 2013
My deepest condolences are with you at this time of need. Know that god
feels your pain as well. Go to him in prayer and he will comfort you very
much.
Sincerely,
Ms J
July 18, 2013
I'm so sorry for your loss. Only Almighty God can give us strength beyond what is normal to continue on at this most difficult time.
July 17, 2013
My condolences to the Garmet family. May you find comfort from God's word recorded at Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10 regarding the loss of your loved one.
July 17, 2013
maybe God of comfort be with you and yours revelations chapter 21 vs 3&4
Prof. Milburn Cleaver, OPA
July 17, 2013
Although I may not have always agreed with Mr.Garment, he displayed great honor and dignity throughout his lifetime. Rest In Peace.
S L
July 17, 2013
Our condolences to Leonard Garment's family. Much can be said about a person who has lived a good and respectful life. The bible says that a name is better than good oil. ~Ecclesiastes 7:1~ May the family find peace and comfort in the memories and love of Leonard Garment.
Cynthia
July 17, 2013
Grief can be so hard, but our special memories help us cope. Remembering you and your loved one today and always.
Dwayne Bickham
July 16, 2013
in God's care rest in peace
G. Freeman
July 16, 2013
May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
Matthew McGuire
July 16, 2013
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
susan franzheim
July 16, 2013
...President Nixon's 1968 reelection campaign was made easier when Leonard and Maurice Stans and Frank Shakespeare
were successful in obtaining a strategically-timed contribution from Kenneth Franzheim,II who in 1974 became my husband.
...KFII became Nixon's envoy to New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.
...When I met Leonard - he had just married Susan and together they were like the music he loved to create.
...Leonard's role as White House counsel after Dean left, was responsible for sage advice in re those infamous tapes.
...My life was richer as were myriad other lives because of crossing paths with Leonard Garment.
bonnie and ed bassuk
July 16, 2013
my dear suzanne and annie,
how sorry to hear leonard died.
may all the fond memories help to
ease the pain in your hearts.
our condolences from ed and
me,
bonnie b bassuk
Tom Smith
July 16, 2013
Sorry to hear about the death of Leonard Garment. Family and friends can look forward to seeing him again and living under the rule of the Prince of Peace forever.
Tam B
July 16, 2013
My condolences to his family, such a line of recent losses is quite the valley in life. I am so glad someone tried to give good advice at that time. May the Lord watch over you and give you comfort and mercy and send his angels to help.
D D
July 16, 2013
Ann, Martin, and Suzanne, you have my condolences. May prayer console you at this time of bereavement. Psalms 65:2
M Joseph
July 16, 2013
My condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Garment. May you draw close to the hearer of prayer during this difficult time. Psalm 65:2
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