Leonard E. Averill ’67

Len died April 17, 2024, in Pomfret, Conn. He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, N.Y., where he was born and grew up. At the academy he was an honors graduate, a major in the cadet regiment, and played tennis and football.

Len followed his father, John B. Averill ’31, and uncle Spike Averill 1928 to Princeton. He majored in biology preparatory to a medical career like his doctor father. He roomed at 123-124 Henry Hall with Rich Geisel, Don Oakley, Bob Thum, Dave Wilson, Ted Gallagher, and R. Graybill Johnston. A member and athletics chairman of Charter Club, he belonged to Orange Key, the Special Services Committee, and the Pre-Med Society.

After Princeton, Len returned to Albany and graduated from Albany Medical College, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War at Roosevelt Roads Navy Base in Puerto Rico. For almost 30 years he practiced in urban hospitals and Mamaroneck, N.Y., before moving to Putnam, Conn., as vice president of the medical staff and then chairman and director of obstetrics and gynecology at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. In our 50th-reunion yearbook he noted that he had delivered 8,000 babies in his career. He was a lifelong skier and skied at most of the great runs of North America from coast to coast.

Len had two children with his first wife, Christine Averill Green: son Nathan ’94 and daughter Lindsey, both medical doctors. He was remarried to Deborah Meri, with whom he shared her son, Lewis, from a previous marriage. They survive Leonard, who distinguished our Class of 1967 by his upholding both the college and family tradition of service to the country and community.