Leonard M. Di Vito - Doctor, Artist, Environmentalist

Self Portrait

Leonard M. Di Vito was born on Aug. 27, 1953 in Spokane WA. He was raised until the age of 15 on a number of US Air Force military bases including Fairchild in Spokane, Fontinbleau, France, Wright-Patterson in Dayton, OH and Kincheloe in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. His father Leonard J. Di Vito and mother Frances Di Vito then settled their family in New Jersey after Leonard J Di Vito's retirement from the Air Force in 1968. Leonard's relatives are primarily in the Philadelphia/So. New Jersey area.

Leonard was the oldest son in a family of eight children with one older sister Linda and younger sister Rita and five brothers Joseph, Paul, James, Robert and Jean-Pierre. Throughout his high school years he was a champion road and track runner breaking school records. He also was involved with the theater group as piano accompanist. He was a very good piano player and had a favorite repertoire including many songs from Kismet, a show he accompanied in high school. It was quite common for him to immediately start off on the piano at home with his favorite: Baubles, Bangles and Beads from Kismet.

A popular student, Leonard was 'Lenny' to his friends and family. And as 'Leo' to newer friends in the 1990's as he continuted to identify himself as an artist first and foremost. He kept many of his friends from high school, medical school and made new ones through tennis, his medical practice, his environmental interests and outdoors activity groups.

In the 1980's Lenny was responsible for the creation of the Glenwild Wetlands in Bloomingdale NJ. These protected 10 acres were saved from housing development through a protracted legal process that Lenny spear-headed with the assistance of the Bloomingdale Environmental Commission, and Passiac River Coalition. He was an ardent environmentalist responsible for planting hundreds of trees in his lifetime.

Lenny developed a thriving general medicine medical practice in Saddle Brook NJ in 1982 which he maintained up until his sudden death at 47 on April 30, 2001 brought on by a heart attack. His art will live on forever and it is with great pleasure that his brother Paul has developed this web site as a living memorial along with Mike Jenkins and photography by Don Crowl. Lenny's art was influenced primarily through his travels in Mexico, Europe, Australia and the U.S.

Lenny will be remembered for his rare intelligence, joy for living, friendship for many, his trustworthiness, and dependability. All of his friends and family, patients and business associates continue to miss Lenny.