Deceased May 7, 2014
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In Memory
Len died May 7, 2014, after a full and productive life. After Andover and Amherst he received an L.L.B. degree from Boston University Law School and an L.L.M. from Georgetown Law School. He considered himself fortunate that he found his calling in business and did not have to become a “real lawyer.”
Initially with the FCC, he authored many enduring rules governing marine radio. For 34 years he was with Motorola, directing regulatory activities in the United States and internationally, traveling frequently to Africa, Europe, South America and Asia. He was instrumental in creating the wireless industry, which early on projected a million users by 2000 and now has 6.8 billion subscribers. He served as a U.S. delegate to the World Advisory Radio Conference. After retiring from Motorola in 1998, he was of counsel to two Washington, D.C., law firms.
Len was a sports fan, short for fanatic. He played tennis and squash at Amherst and was manager of the football team. He recalled Ralph Gildehaus not only squiring Len’s dates to the football games—trusting soul—but providing him with apricot brandy at half-time. He was an avid golfer as a member of a Maryland country club. Enthusiastic about baseball, a Yankees and later a Nats fan, he was also berserk over football. He was a Redskins season ticket holder for 50 years. The NFL fantasy football pools competed for his attention with the Quote Acrostic in the New York Times Sunday magazine.
His other passion, passed on to his daughters, was food. They describe his enthusiasm for whatever long drive was needed for the perfect egg rolls, a crunchy cinnamon stick or a meat-filled knish. His motto: Order too many items so everyone can try more things.
Len is survived by Liz Sachs, beloved wife of 25 years; two adoring sports-and-food-nuts daughters; and two grandchildren.
Dick Snodgrass ’51