George J. Leacacos

George J. Leacacos

May 21, 1928 – April 17, 2025

George J. Leacacos, a devoted father, cherished partner, and lover of nature and life, passed away peacefully at his home in Hamden, Connecticut, on April 17, 2025. He was 96 years old and had lived an active and fulfilling life.

Born on May 21, 1928, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, George was the son of Greek immigrants Harriet Deliyannis and John Leacacos, both from the Peloponnese region of Greece. He grew up with his sister Helen and his younger brother William, in a home rich with heritage and values that would shape his life.

George graduated from Wyoming Seminary in 1946 and went on to attend Columbia University, where he first met Carolyn Ogden Brotherton, a student at Barnard College who, much later, would become his life partner. George received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia in 1950 and then attended NYU Medical School for a year before answering a call to service. George enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1952 during the Korean War, trained at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and served honorably as a medical technician at Camp Roberts in California until 1955.

In 1957, George began his career in the pharmaceutical industry as a sales representative for Parke-Davis in New York City. By 1960, he had moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where he joined the New Haven Ski Club and met fellow skier Lynn Gerhard, whom he married in 1964.

Together, they had one son, Jeff. George and Lynn later parted ways and in 1988, 42 years after they had first met, George rekindled his connection with Carolyn, and the two would happily spend the rest of their lives together until Carolyn’s death on Easter, 2023. He was by her side, holding her hand until the end.

George and Carolyn shared countless summers at their small summer home in Orleans, Massachusetts, where they both enjoyed bird watching from their back deck overlooking the wetlands of Cape Cod Bay.

Together, he and Carolyn traveled frequently to Greece where they visited George’s extended family in Athens, as well as regular trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, Key West, and beyond, making treasured memories along the way.

George had a deep appreciation for the outdoors. He was an accomplished skier who enjoyed not just the slopes of New England, but of Aspen, Banff, and even the Alps. He was also a golfer, a runner, a hiker, a cyclist, a swimmer, and a squash player. George swam and played tennis well into his eighties.

His mind was as active as his body and he was a voracious reader. There was always a new hardback book by his bedside. He read The New York Times daily, and was keenly engaged in current events. He had a lifelong curiosity about the world which was reflected in his deep appreciation for wildlife, for nature programming, and towards the end of his life, for a little too much Shark Tank.

A man of cheerfulness, warmth, generosity and kindness, George is survived by his beloved son Jeff Leacacos, his nephew David Arduini, and his extended family, including stepchildren, their spouses, and step-grandchildren, all of whom he deeply cherished.

He will be fondly remembered as a special man by all who knew and loved him. And not just because he never let anyone else pick up the check.

A private celebration of George’s life will be held by the family at a later date. Condolences may be expressed at Colonialfunerals.com.