1926 – 2024

Leon Mayer was born in 1926 in Cleveland, Ohio. At the age of 10, his mother placed him in the care of Bellefaire Orphan Home for Jewish children. He lived there until his graduation from Glenville High School. He enlisted in the Navy soon after.

In the Navy, he was a radio operator and served in the South Pacific at Peleliu during WWII. Leon was awarded the Victory Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

Leon went to UCLA as an undergraduate followed by USC Law School where he received his Juris Doctor. The GI Bill helped pay for some of his law school tuition. He began to practice law in 1953 when he joined the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office and later became deputy district attorney for the Glendale area. He then became a criminal defense attorney for an LA firm. During that time he met and married his first wife Margaret who was his secretary. Leon later opened his own practice and became a personal injury attorney. 

Leon married Margaret in 1963 and they had four children. They lived in the Mt. Washington area until Leon and his family moved to Glendale in 1975. Leon was active in community affairs including as a columnist for the Glendale NewsPress, program chairman for Kiwanis, and then 12 years as director of Friends of the Library Author Series. In promoting the series, he appeared over 500 times at city council meetings, which was a primary factor in his representing Glendale at the County of Los Angeles 47^th annual “Older Americans Recognition Day” for which he received an award. 

Leon loved his two grandchildren and spent quality time swimming, playing chess and telling them stories. He enjoyed retirement in his Glendale home and spent days reading his many books, watching the news and sports, walking around the pool to stay fit, eating chocolate and drinking Coke – his favorite drink. 

Leon passed away on Sept. 5 at the age of 98. He lived a long, full life. He will truly be missed.

He is survived by his second wife Yolanda, his four children, and two grandchildren. He will be laid to rest with his predeceased wife Margaret Mayer at Forest Lawn Glendale.

The funeral service for Leon Mayer will be on Friday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Recessional in Forest Lawn Glendale.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of these two local charities:

Campbell Center https://thecampbell.org, Friends of the Library 

Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Trust | GLACT.org.