Leonard Gersten

Leonard Gersten, 97, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died April 6, 2012. Born in Newark, he lived in West Orange for 52 years and moved to Phoenix, Ariz., in 2002.

He was employed by the Larkey Clothing Company until 1942 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He returned to work with Larkey in a managerial capacity until 1963, when he left to form his own entrepreneurial firm exporting electronic instruments and components worldwide. He retired in 1990.

He graduated from South Side High School in Newark in 1932 and received his BA degree from Yale University, New Haven, Conn., in 1936.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army and spent two and a half years in the European Theater until peace was declared. He returned to the United States in 1946 with the rank of captain.

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He served in various capacities with the Red Cross, the United Jewish Appeal, B’nai B’rith, the American Jewish Committee, and the Kiwanis Club. He also served for many years as a member of the Supreme Court’s District Ethics Committee.

He is survived by his wife, Louise (Hannoch); his daughter, Barbara Gersten Lipton; his son, Larry; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.