Edward J. Leahy

Edward J. Leahy, a Lab retiree, died suddenly May 25 at his home in San Mateo, Calif. He was 87.

Born May 4, 1925 to Helen and Joseph William Leahy, in Cohoes, NY, he graduated from Vincentian Institute High School in Albany, N.Y. in 1943.

Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy under the V-5 (Naval Aviation Cadet)/V-12 (Navy College Training) programs, attending school in Virginia at Emory and Henry College, the University of Richmond and the U.S. Navy Midshipman School at the University of Notre Dame earning his commission as Ensign. During World War II, he served on the USS Sepulga and the amphibious transport USS Henrico achieving the rank of lieutenant commander over his active naval career.

After his military service, he returned to New York where he graduated from Siena College. He married Stella McKay of Salem, Ore. In the early 1950s, the couple moved to California where Leahy joined the U.S. Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory (NRDL) in San Francisco.

At NRDL, he became the head of the Fleet Support Branch of the Military Evaluations Division where he directed staff in operations research analysis, nuclear physics and mathematics with the chief emphasis on the analysis of operations and systems in support of fleet operations.

Throughout his career at NRDL, Leahy participated in numerous nuclear weapons field tests in the Pacific, was a member of the Navy's Radiological Control Team, winning superior accomplishment awards, and authoring a number of technical publications.

Upon the closure of NRDL in 1969, he came to work at LLNL where he participated in various programs including those at the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station at Fort Polk, La, Dredged Sediment Movement Tracing in San Francisco Bay and the Nevada Test Site with the mission to make contributions in excavation research with explosives for both military and civil works construction.

He continued his career at the Lab and became a group leader within the Health Physics Group until his retirement in 1990.

Leahy was active with the Boy Scouts of America and St. Gregory's parish. Later, he became involved with St. Bartholomew's parish, serving as an usher for many years while also volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul until his passing.

Leahy is survived by his wife Stella; five children, Constance, Edward, Scott, Cynthia and Martin; and 10 grandchildren, Damien, Jessica, Travis, Nicole, Rushton, Malcolm, Alexandra, Tom, Sam and Allison.

A funeral Mass was celebrated June 6 at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in San Mateo. Private family interment followed. The family requests donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank, 1051 Bing St., San Carlos, CA 94070.