Leonard Horwitz Ph.D.

1922 - 2021

Leonard Horwitz, Ph.D.
February 15, 1922 - August 1, 2021
Kansas City, Missouri - Len Horwitz of Kansas City, Missouri died August 1, 2021 after a brief and sudden illness, 6 months shy of his 100th birthday.
Born in Coney Island, N.Y. February 15, 1922, the middle son of Barney and Tillie Horwitz. Len was raised in St. Albans, Queens, NY. At age 16 he entered Queens College where he graduated with a BA in 1942; he earned a PhD in clinical psychology from NYU in 1951. In 1952, he moved to Topeka, Kansas, to become a part of the renowned Menninger Foundation, spending the next 50 years there as a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst.
In the 1960's, Dr. Horwitz was pioneering figure in the acceptance of group psychotherapy when individual treatment was the gold standard of care. He served as president of the American Group Psychotherapy Association from 1984 to 1986.
After the Menninger Clinic's closing (2000), Len and June, his wife of 63 years (who died in 2007), moved to Kansas City. There, he became a driving force in launching the Greater Kansas City Psychoanalytic Institute, continuing his work as training analyst, teacher, and mentor.
Len was the author of three professional books, including, "Listening with the Fourth Ear", published in 2017, at age 95.
Len had only one regret as he left his full, joyful life not reaching his 100th birthday with three scheduled parties, one each in Kansas City, Aspen, Colorado, and New York City. Aside from his work, which was his passion, he had three loves: his wife June, the game of tennis, which he played avidly for 88 years, and Aspen, CO, where he maintained a second home for 50 years.
Len Horwitz lived an active, independent, and healthy life until he died. He and June were patrons of the visual and performing arts, and as an intellectual heavyweight with a memory extraordinaire, Len "set a high bar" for his family and friends. Incessantly curious, he researched and read extensively before embarking on his last international trip to Cuba at age 98. Len returned days before the COVID shutdown in March 2020.
He is survived by his three children: Marjorie Murray (Ragen) Topeka, KS; Lynne Green, Lawrence KS; Robert Horwitz, Brooklyn NY; three grandchildren: Adam Green (Cori), Lawrence; KS, Sands Murray-Wassink of Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Robin Wassink-Murray); and Laura Murray, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Lourinelson Vladimir dos Santos), as well as four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations can be made to the Aspen Music Festival and School, 225 Music School Rd, Aspen Colo. 81611, The Kauffman Center for Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway, KCMO 64108 or Van Go Inc., P.O. Box 153 Lawrence, KS, 66044.
The family thanks staff at Kansas City's Bishop Spencer Place for their kindness and support, as well as the staff at KU Medical Center for Len's excellent care during his brief illness.
A family burial was held at Mt. Hope Cemetery (Topeka, KS) with a Celebration of Life to follow at a later date.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.louismemorialchapel.com (Arrangements entrusted to The Louis Memorial Chapel, 816-361-5211)