PHILIP WILLIAM LEONARD March 19, 1979 – Feb. 27, 2024

Dr. Philip William Leonard, “Phil” to his friends, was born to Carole Franda and John Leonard in McLean, Virginia. After graduating from McLean High School, Phil attended the University of Chicago, where he pursued his bachelor’s degree and took graduate chemistry classes concurrently, and researching chemical synthesis in the Wulff and Eaton laboratories. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with both his bachelor’s and master’s in chemistry in 2001.

His graduate studies continued at University of California – Berkeley, where he was a joint graduate student in the Arnold and Vollhardt laboratories, where he taught organic chemistry and synthesized numerous compounds, including hexaferrocenyl benzene, the most sterically crowded benzene ever discovered.

In 2007, Phil received his PhD in organic and organometallic chemistry, and became a postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Dr. Phil Pagoria’s group where he began his career in energetic materials, synthesizing several high nitrogen heterocyclics. Phil took a second postdoctoral position at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 2009 in Dr. David Chavez’ group, synthesizing more high nitrogen energetics, and transitioned to a full-time scientist at LANL in 2011, where he produced environmentally friendly energetics, reconstituted on-site pilot capabilities, and grew into a role as a program manager for energetic R&D, a position that benefited greatly from a manager with Phil’s scientific and energetic materials experience.

Unquestionably, Phil was academically and professionally accomplished; however, Phil’s earned degrees and awards lay at the bottom of the file cabinet in the family home. The walls of Phil’s home office were adorned with photos of his family, friends, his framed National Rifle Association Lifetime Member certificate, and numerous perfect-score targets shot from long range. In Phil’s closet, next to his suits, khakis, and button up shirts, hung his International Practical Shooting Confederation shirts from the myriad of competitive shooting tournaments that he exceled in. Among the personal items returned to Phil’s family from his office at LANL were his son’s toys, reminders of this mother’s upcoming medical appointments, photos of his wife and son, and the coffee cup from which he imbibed a caffeinated acuity to face life’s daily challenges. In the day-to-day, academic and professional accolades were a small, unnoticeable part of who Phil was.

Phil was brilliant, a talented scientist, skilled teacher, and had an innate curiosity for the world around him. These objective truths about Phil, however, cannot convey the leadership he provided, and the guiding beacon he was to his coworkers, friends, and family. Phil approached life with a sense of humor, laughing at himself, and never letting adversity overcome him. Anyone who even briefly acquainted themselves with Phil immediately knew this man was genuine, and empathetic. He loved teaching and taught officially at UC-Berkeley, UNM-Los Alamos, and LANL, and unofficially to his co-workers and friends, on the diverse areas in which he was battle-hardened.

To his friends and family, Phil was the single most honorable, honest, generous, and trustworthy man anyone could ask for. Phil was generous with his time, always lending a patient, attentive ear to anyone bedeviled by the pains of life. He always made time to visit friends and family, and would always be there if beckoned on a moment’s notice.

Words cannot describe the immeasurable void that remains in the wake of the untimely loss of this wonderful man.

In September of 2021, Phil and Jamie Keehan were married, and in July of 2022 Phil began his new beloved role as father when he and Jamie welcomed their son Killian into the world. Phil was deeply devoted to his family as a caring husband and father, and cherished his time with them. Their daughter Eiley is due in June of 2024. Phil is survived by his wife Jamie Leonard, son Killian, soon-to-be-born daughter Eiley, mother Carole Franda, brothers Charles and Robert Leonard, Aunt Virginia Leonard-Ewing, and dogs, Skyler and Duma.

A memorial will be held on April 7, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Los Alamos United Church.