Sidney Greenleaf

Sidney Greenleaf was born in Norwich, Connecticut February 23, 1930 and passed away at Pines Edge skilled nursing facility on April 17, 2020. During his 90 years of life he pursued many interests and passions.

He grew up in Norwich, Connecticut where he became an avid outdoorsman and athlete. He attended Norwich Free Academy, and then played football and track on an athletic scholarship while attending the University of Connecticut. He graduated from UConn with a mechanical engineering degree. He served in the US Army during the Korean War, acting as a flight and test engineer. After the war he continued to fly and became a private pilot, as well as restoring several airplanes, including a World War I biplane and World War II flight trainer. He continued to fly throughout his life.

Following his military service and education he founded Greenleaf Engineers, working until his retirement in 2007. In 1985 he transitioned the firm to Architectural Engineers, and his daughter Robin Greenleaf became President, then CEO of the firm. His early work included projects with renowned international architects, including Marcel Breuer, Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo.

Sid was an Eagle Scout and dedicated years of service to the Boy Scouts. He was a cubmaster and then scoutmaster in Newton, Massachusetts for many years.

He continued to be an avid outdoorsman with his family, spending countless days fishing, camping, and hiking with them.

He also was a master craftsman; from building small model airplanes to a 42 foot wooden sailboat and 26 foot commercial fishing boat. Later in life he started rebuilding old military jeeps.

He was a serious conservationist and environmentalist. He fought to preserve wetlands in Massachusetts. For this he and his wife Carole received a prestigious environmental award.

Throughout his life he had a yearning for knowledge and learning. He was a professor at the Harvard graduate school of design, as well as the Boston Architectural College. In the later years of his life he took up writing poetry and painting.

He is survived by his daughter Robin Greenleaf and her husband Joel Goodmonson of Wayland, Mass., son Dr. Jonathan Greenleaf and his wife Lisa of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and son Steven Greenleaf and his wife Jill of Hopkinton, Mass. He is also survived by his grandchildren Julia, Madison, Zachary, Caroline, and Daniel.