Richard Hunt Leff

Richard Hunt Leff

Richard Hunt Leff, 68, died on November 5, 2020 at his home in Wilton Manor, Florida. Rick fought valiantly to the end against prostate cancer. Rick was born in Los Angeles California on December 17, 1951, the son of Alan Leff and Betty Jayne (Jaye) Pessin Leff and later, stepson of Joseph Haddad. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School, attended Pizer College then transferred to Bennington College (Class of 74), bringing him to Vermont, a place he loved and where he spent most of his life. He received his master's degree in Statistics from the University of Vermont in 1976.

In Vermont, Rick owned homes in Waterville and in Burlington. He was a member of Temple Sinai in South Burlington from 1977 until he moved to Florida.

Rick began a career in social service as the director of a small non-profit, The Youth Services Bureau, in Burlington. He went on to work for the state of Vermont, trying to make a difference in peoples' lives. He wanted to do more. and at a time of high unemployment, Rick decided that he could do more for people by employing them. He went on to employ more than a hundred employees over the course of his career. An avid reader, he and his first wife, Susan Sheckler Leff, opened Wit & Wisdom Bookshop in South Burlington, VT which expanded to Shelburne a few years later. This began a magical 10-year period at the center of a community of people who loved books and who came in, often daily, to find out "what we were talking about." Rick loved the books, the community, and the conversation and he discovered that he loved business. He went on as the proprietor of Middlesex Fire Equipment in Montpelier, the Horsman Company (pre-press and printing) in Burlington, Williston, and Colchester VT, where he especially loved working with local artists. He worked for a time with Susan's father and brother at as the business manager at Calmar Research.

Rick came out of retirement when he moved with his wife Maura Campbell to South Florida, becoming partners in an insurance company with his stepsons Sam and Spencer. There he affected the lives of hundreds of people again, helping to create a thriving business.

Rick loved skiing, golf, tennis, and breakfast with his friends. He loved to travel and traveled widely, especially enjoying art and architecture. He recently has enjoyed kayaking the waterways of Florida. He owned a dog always and his current dogs, JoJo and Maya will miss him very much.

He loved his family. He was happy coaching soccer, taking family and friends out on the lake in his boat, early-morning hockey practice and hockey games, teaching his children to swim then cheering them on at swim meets. He was proud of his children and, also, of his 4 stepchildren, taking an active interest in their activities as well.

Rick was a life-long theatre enthusiast but after partnering with his playwright wife Maura Campbell, he found himself not only in the audience but behind the scenes and, in one memorable production in New York City, making a cameo appearance. And Rick loved to tell his friends that while in London, Maura managed to get him to attend seven plays in five days. On the day of their wedding, Maura said publicly, "Thank you for making my dreams come true." Because he did.

Rick is survived by his wife Maura Campbell, his daughter Rachel Van Ornum, son-in-law Scott, his sons Alexander Leff, Jay Leff, and Asher Leff, and daughter-in-law Rosa Ziegler Leff. He is also survived by Maura's children, Samuel Llanes and Sam's wife Renata, son Brenden and daughter Gabriela, Amanda Smith Englund, her husband Jared Englund and son, Lev, Spencer Smith, Spencer's wife Massami Leal-Smith, and Mirabel Smith. He is survived by siblings, Tracy Leff, David Haddad, and David's wife, Heidi, and Kevin Haddad. and their children. Rick is survived by Maura's siblings, Carolyn, Bill and his wife Sharon, and Laura Campbell. He will be missed by his first wife and friend, Susan Sheckler Leff. Rick was also close to Susan's family, especially her parents Calvin and Marjorie Sheckler, and Susan's sister Gwyn and Gwyn's husband Al Weaver. He is also survived and will be missed by Susan's siblings, Cole, Melinda, Irene, Alicia, Kate, Chad, Brett, Ross, and Jesse and all their spouses and children.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to one of these charities in honor of his love of children, dogs and books:

Spectrum Youth and Family Services http://www.spectrumvt.org,

I Heart Animal Rescue paypal.me/cmarrone

PJ Library in Vermont c/o JCVT 47 Maple St Suite 321 Burlington VT 05401

https://jewishcommunitiesofvermont.org/pj-library/

A Zoom Funeral Service will be held at 11 AM on Sunday November 8 followed by a service or the family at the cemetery. Zoom meeting ID number is 816 2441 8604 Contact ashjay@msn.com for the password.

Arrangements are by Boucher and Pritchard Funeral Directors.