Leo Molitor passed away at his home in Ventura on July 17, 2022. He is survived by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren.
Leo was born and raised in a small town in Minnesota. "The Center of the Universe" as he called it. He attended the University of Saint Thomas, the University of Minnesota, the Sorbonne, UCLA, Loyola, and UCSB where he received his doctorate.
He served in the U.S. Army at NATO headquarters in France and continued his patriotic duties in the United States in the Army Reserve taking courses such as the Army Command and General Staff Officer Course. Leo earned many military honors including the Medal of Meritorious Service. He retired as a full Colonel.
Leo lived in Paris for five years before moving to Los Angeles to teach and study at UCLA. In 1977, he accepted the position of principal of Nordhoff High School in Ojai where he was loved and respected by both staff and students. Although he missed the students when he became Assistant Superintendent of the district, he continued to enjoy his work as an educator and received the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Administrator of the Year Award in 1992. He later served as interim Headmaster of Villanova Preparatory School as well as serving on the Ventura County Planning Commission from 2002 to 2011. He was honored to be chosen as an Ojai Living Treasure.
This caring man liked people - his friends in the wine clubs, the elderly in nursing homes for whom he was an ombudsman for 16 years, his students and fellow educators, the participants and coach in Neuroboxing and his relatives and friends in Minnesota and California. There are also many others whose company he enjoyed. He also loved spending time with his daughter, an example of which is their huddling together in a large chair as he taught her to read. When Leo retired, he was ready to travel and enjoy life without tight schedules. This he did.
Leo, the gentleman, the godly, patriotic, kind, faithful, humorous and loving man is now missed so much! A memorial will be held at a later date.