James H. Leitholf, 82, a resident of Severna Park for 37 years, died of complications of pneumonia and a stroke June 1 at Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie.

Mr. Leitholf was born May 9, 1925, and reared in Pittsburgh. He served in the Navy during World War II from 1943 to 1946 as a lieutenant junior grade aboard the destroyer escort USS Daniel A. Joy in the Pacific theatre.

While serving in the Navy and attending Officers Candidate School, he also attended Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology and Northwestern University. He graduated from Duquesne University in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.

During his career in logistics management, he worked for the RCA Corp. from 1950 to 1972 and then for Raytheon until 1990.

An avid Notre Dame and Pittsburgh Steelers football fan, he also enjoyed golf, carpentry and travel.

Surviving are his wife of 59 years, Helen Ruth Pepka Leitholf; one daughter, Susan M. Hogan of Stevensville; two sons, Richard W. Leitholf of Arnold and James T. Leitholf of Annapolis; one sister, Lois Castello, and one brother, William E. Leitholf, both of Pittsburgh; and six grandchildren. He was the father of Robert J. Leitholf, who died in 2003, and brother of the late Donald J. Leitholf.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 689 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park. Burial will follow in Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to American Cancer Society, 1041 Route 3 North, Gambrills, MD 21054 or American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058. Online condolences can be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com

As published on 6/3/2007 in The Capital Newspaper, Annapolis, MD