Ruth Leffall

1930 - 2023

LEFFALL, Ruth McWiliams, a civic leader and philanthropist, died on June 20, 2023, in Washington, DC.

Ruth, also known as Ruthie, was born in 1930 in Richmond, VA, to Frank McWilliams and Lillian Grasty McWilliams.

Mrs. Leffall came from a family with a history of civic involvement and an educational legacy that traces back to the origins of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Richmond Planet newspaper indicated that Ruth Leffall's maternal great-grandfather, Enoch H. Grasty, from Danville, VA, was a graduate of the first class of Howard University, and the superintendent of African-American schools in Culpepper County, VA. The Richmond Planet and the Pittsburgh Courier also reported that Ruth Leffall's maternal grandfather, Captain Towson S. Grasty, was a graduate of Oberlin College and Howard Law School, and the only African-American officer on the staff of a Major General during World War I, serving as Judge Advocate of General Court Martials. Mrs. Leffall was also related through her father, Frank McWilliams, to Ora Brown Stokes, the civic leader, and her husband, the Rev. William H. Stokes of Ebenezer Baptist Church, of Richmond, VA.

Mrs. Leffall attended Richmond public schools and graduated from Armstrong High School. Following her parents and her older sister, Margaret, Ruth attended Virginia Union University and graduated with a degree in history. After graduation, Ruth moved to Washington, DC, to work at the Pentagon. She later worked at Freedmen's Hospital (now Howard University Hospital), while Margaret worked for the Dean of the Howard University Medical School. Margaret introduced Ruth to a medical resident, LaSalle Doheny Leffall, Jr., who had graduated from Howard's Medical School. They married in 1956.

In 1957 the Leffalls moved to New York City, where Ruth worked at the American College of Physicians, and later at IBM, while Dr. Leffall had a senior surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. After the fellowship, the couple moved to Munich, Germany, where Mrs. Leffall worked for Radio Free Europe, and Dr. Leffall was assigned to the U.S. Army's Second Field Hospital. In 1962, the Leffalls returned to Washington, DC, where Mrs. Leffall worked at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and Dr. Leffall joined the faculty of Howard University Medical School.

After the birth of Ruth and LaSalle's son, LaSalle Doheny Leffall III (known as "Donney"), Mrs. Leffall devoted her time to raising her son, and to civic and charitable activities. President Lyndon B. Johnson offered to nominate Mrs. Leffall for a seat on the City Council of the District of Columbia, which, in the days before Home Rule, was a presidentially appointed position. Mrs. Leffall declined the offer, but did accept President Johnson's subsequent request to serve on the Board of the Peace Corps and its National Advisory Council. Later, President Jimmy Carter appointed Mrs. Leffall to the Advisory Board for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Other civic involvement of Mrs. Leffall included service on the boards of governors, directors, trustees, or advisory committees of the American Red Cross DC Division, the Bishop John T. Walker Preparatory School for Boys (Development Committee for the school's founding), the Children's Defense Fund (DC Advisory Committee), the Children's Museum, DC Prep (initial Advisory Board), Family and Child Services, the Folger Shakespeare Summer Festival, Ford's Theater, the Greater Washington Research Center, The Lab School, and the National Symphony Orchestra Association. Ruth's love of music came from her mother Lillian, who accompanied the singer Marian Anderson on the piano when Ms. Anderson visited Virginia Union. Ruth Leffall chaired or co-chaired many events including those for the Black Student Fund, the Children's Museum, Iona House, the Lab School, the National Symphony Orchestra Opening Night, Reading Is Fundamental, and the United Negro College Fund.

Dr. and Mrs. Leffall supported many organizations including the National Museum of African American History and Culture (Founding Donors), the National Gallery of Art, the Washington National Cathedral, Howard University, and Florida A&M University.

Mrs. Leffall was known for her upbeat personality, thoughtfulness, insight, elegance, and sense of style and fashion. She and her son were featured in the book Mothers and Sons by Marianna Cook.

Mrs. Leffall was a member of several social organizations including PEN/Faulkner, the Smithsonian Luncheon Group, St. Albans Tennis Club, and the Waltz Group, where she served on the Board of Trustees. In addition, she attended many of the events of organizations her husband belonged to, such as the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, the Cosmos Club, and the Metropolitan Club (where both her husband and son served on the Board of Governors).

Ruth M. Leffall was predeceased by her husband, Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr., and is survived by her son, LaSalle D. Leffall III, of Washington, DC.

A memorial service will be held at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square in Washington DC, on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.