Leon Alexander was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 11, 1924. He passed away peacefully at home at the age of 95 on October 5, 2020, surrounded by friends and family.
In 1943, Leon was drafted into the Navy and served three years in France, the South Pacific, and Japan. Upon his return, he completed his studies at Brooklyn College followed by three years at Yale Law School, where he graduated at the top of his class. While in law school, he married Greta Rosenbaum, a student at the Yale School of Music.
After graduation, they struck out for the West Coast, moving first to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles, where they had three children. Over the years he built a thriving law firm with 15 attorneys and eventually retired from private practice to work as an arbitrator and mediator.
He married a second time, and although that marriage also ended in divorce he remained on good terms with his former wife and her two daughters.
Perhaps the happiest time of his life followed, when he engaged in new activities, joining a gay camping group where he met the great love of his life, Timothy Stocks. They took up bridge (Leon eventually became a Bronze Life Master), wine tasting, and moved into what became their home in Glendale for 30 years. They also took cruises around the world.
Towards the end of his life, he published a book of poetry, For Aged Men.
He is survived by his three children, Robin, Randy and Ronni Alexander; his two step-daughters, Kira Od and Jana Odette; his great-nephews Nathan and Greg Alexander and their families; and his caregiver, Devin Kelly. A date for a memorial will be set for the Fall of 2021 to celebrate his life and memory.
