D. Leigh Holt Jr.

D. Leigh Holt Jr.

West Nyack - D. Leigh Holt Jr., longtime academic dean at Dominican College in Blauvelt, died Nov. 9, 2020 after suffering a stroke. He was 77.

Born Dec. 18, 1942, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he was the son of Douglas Leigh Holt Sr. and Grace Rhodes Holt. He grew up in the Brainerd neighborhood of Chattanooga, and graduated from the McCallie School, where he was an avid tennis player and a member of the state champion golf team. As a child, he spent summers boating and waterskiing on Chickamauga Lake in Sale Creek, Tennessee. He would later spend many vacations at his family cabin there.

He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English from Duke University, studying for a year at the University of Nottingham, England, zipping around in his red Triumph convertible.

A Phi Beta Kappa scholar, Leigh was awarded two Woodrow Wilson fellowships for graduate study, and earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Yale University. He was the author of the book "From Man to Dragon: A Study of Shakespeare's Coriolanus." Though he studied and taught the classics, he devoured trashy thrillers. He was also a fan of British mystery television shows, and watched all seven seasons of "The West Wing" three times.

After beginning a teaching career at Syracuse University, he took a position at the University of Houston-Victoria, a campus for upper division and graduate students. There he earned a reputation as a popular classroom teacher, saw publications of his scholarly works and became active in campus life. He was elected chair of the faculty and served on the University of Houston System Coordinating Council. The then-chancellor described Leigh as "an ardent scholar and demanding teacher" and a consummate leader — one who "works with people and not over them."

In 1979, he moved to Rockland County, New York, to become an English professor and the director of the Arts and Sciences Division at Dominican College in Blauvelt. Later he became the college's academic dean and continued in that role, and as academic vice president, until his retirement in 2007.

He married Sondra Smith Johnson on Oct. 17, 1980, at a small ceremony at their home, a converted 1880s barn that, over the next 40 years, they would renovate and restore. They raised three children there, and entertained frequently. Their holiday parties — held only when there was a weekend between Christmas and New Year's Eve — were legendary.

His time at Dominican was a period of major growth for the college, in academic affairs and other aspects of the institution's life. He led the development of many new degree programs, including the college's first several graduate-level programs and an undergraduate core curriculum recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities. He expanded the number of national accreditations for the college's pre-professional programs. And he introduced new policies advancing the quality of academic programs.

He was awarded several recognitions by the college, which conferred on him an honorary doctoral degree upon his retirement.

An active member of Grace Episcopal Church in Nyack, he served as lay reader, worship minister and vestryman. He also worked to redesign and expand the Memorial Garden and Columbarium there. He served his community in Leadership Rockland and the Arts Council of Rockland.

After retirement, he and Sondra spent many years traveling, especially to Mexico, Maine and Texas, where they would visit their grandchildren. San Miguel de Allende was a favorite destination.

Sartorial and stylish, Leigh had a closetful of Harris Tweeds, plaid shirts and tasseled loafers. He loved all sorts of cocktails, but especially martinis and Manhattans.

He was known for his kind disposition and keen interest in others, and he was a gifted conversationalist who listened intently and asked probing questions. When he wanted to start a new topic, one of his favorite transitions was "Apropos of nothing ..."

He is survived by his wife, Sondra Holt of West Nyack, New York; a son, Christopher Holt, of Durham, North Carolina; two daughters, Elizabeth Weber, and husband Greg of South Nyack, New York, and Sarah Waggoner, and husband Wilson, of Austin, Texas; a sister, Alice Farrell of Snager, Texas; and four granddaughters, Alexis Stone of Durham, North Carolina, Mae and Jane Waggoner of Austin, and Samantha Weber of South Nyack.

Because of the pandemic, services are pending. Watch the Facebook pages of Grace Episcopal Church in Nyack and Hannemann Funeral Home in Nyack, which did the arrangements. Donations may be made to the Memorial Garden and Columbarium fund of Grace Episcopal Church, 130 First Ave., Nyack, New York 10960.