Leonard Alfred Humphreys

1924 - 2024

Leonard died on July 26, 2024, at age 99. He was born to Marie Priscilla Clermont and Percival William Humphreys inTroy, New York on September 9, 1924. Leonard graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1945 and began his career as an officer in the United States Army. On February 7, 1948, he married the love of his life, Sally Burgess. They traveled the world together during Leonard's military career and his later academic career. making life-long friends and gaining respect for the world's people and cultures.
Soon after their marriage, Leonard undertook a general study of the language, history, culture and military affairs of Japan through The Foreign Area Studies Training Program from July 1948-June 1952, including study at the U.S. Army Language School, Monterey, California, Stanford University, and the U.S. Army Foreign Area Studies Training School, Tokyo, Japan. Leonard served in both Korea and Japan, including service at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo from 1955- 1959 as assistant attache, and service in the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) Japan from 1962-1965 as an intelligence advisor to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and as Assistant Chief of Staff, MAAG, Japan.
After Leonard retired from the military at the rank of Lt. Col., he received his PhD from Stanford University, and served as a professor of Southeast Asian History at the University of the Pacific (UOP) from 1970-1991. While at UOP he served as Chair of the University of the Pacific's International Studies Major Program from 1981-1987. Leonard was awarded the Order of the Pacific in 1991, and continued to serve as Professor Emeritus for many years after his retirement. Leonard also served as a visiting professor at Kwansei Gakuin University in Nishinomiya, Japan in 1985 and again in 1994. From 1970 until Sally's death in 2015, they lived in Lodi, California. After Sally's death, Leonard moved to O'Connor Woods in Stockton, California.
Leonard and Sally had three children, Pamela Ryan who lives with her husband, Eric Ryan in Pleasanton, California; Elizabeth Humphreys, who is married to George Abdallah and lives in Morada, California; and William Humphreys who is married to Kelly McLaughlin and lives in Stockton, California. Leonard leaves behind four grandchildren: Adam Humphreys Street of Oakland, Christopher Paul Ryan (Marta Ryan) of Roseville, Dana Elizabeth Ryan-Margott (Vinny Margott) of Simi Valley, and Jillian Marie Humphreys of Stockton. He will also be missed by his two great grandchildren, Odin Humphreys Ryan and Carl John Ryan.
Leonard loved teaching, whether it was his children and grandchildren, his students at UOP, or his friends at O'Connor Woods. He was reading, studying, and planning lectures and educational talks just before he died. Leonard never tired of advancing his knowledge and understanding of the world. He worked tirelessly with the Lodi Library as a Community Board Member, Friend of the Library, and in the adult reading program so everyone would have access to books and other educational resources.
Leonard was a man of honesty and integrity. He enjoyed sharing his unique and often intriguing life experiences with family, friends, and students. He always left his listeners with a balanced view of history and the full context needed to understand a complex and ever-changing world.
We will miss him terribly. The Humphreys Family.