Jim Leusch was an honorable, smart, funny, and compassionate man and as his wife, Viveca, I’ve seen the impact and effect he had on so many people. Jim was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He loved the city he grew up in and the opportunities it made possible. His parents were Peter and Margarette Leusch, both of whom had strong German ties.
His surviving sister is Margaret Mary of Idyllwild, CA. His sister, Lois Blair, and brother, Tom, predeceased him. Jim loved being a father to his three children: Christine of Idaho Falls, ID; Peter of Troy, Montana; and Suzanne of Victor, ID. His only granddaughter, Nanaki Singh, of Moscow, ID, had a very special place in his heart.
Growing up, Jim wasn’t always serious about his school studies, however, much to the surprise of school administrators, he received the highest score on the entrance exam of anyone for his beloved St. Ignatius High School. From there, he attended John Carroll University and then the University of Detroit where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering. He served two years in the U.S. Army at the Carswell Air Force base in Fort Worth, TX. Jim always had a passion for history and after he retired, he earned a Masters’ Degree in the Arts for History.
He spent his professional career at Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), starting in the Sales and Marketing department in New York City. Over the years, he relocated to multiple cities including: Boston, Houston, Dallas, and Tulsa before returning to New York. He ended his 35-year career as Director of New Business Development. Jim loved life and sharing his personal stories and experiences. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and he experienced life at its fullest. We met at a UCC company party (where I also worked) and he offered me a job in chemical sales. Since my education was in computer science, I declined the offer but accepted an invitation to watch fireworks on the 4th of July instead. That was the beginning of 30 magical years together.
As a huge Cleveland Browns and Indians fan, he rarely missed a game. He saw the last game the Cleveland Rams (yes, the Rams) played in 1945 when they won the NFL championship before moving to LA the following year. He attended the first game the Cleveland Browns played in 1946, coached by the teams’ namesake, Paul Brown. Wherever we lived, he attended the Browns Backers club on Sundays to watch the game with fellow devoted fans. A dear friend used to tease Jim that he was the only person at the Portland club who was old enough to drink adult beverages the last time the Browns won a championship.
We were so fortunate to have been able to travel to many places after his retirement. Our favorites included Rome (with all of its history and religion), Bora Bora (truly heaven on earth) and Antarctica (where we spent three unforgettable days watching whales and penguins and cruising thru the glaciers).
On December 5th, 2020 we will have a virtual Celebration of Life on what would have been his 90th birthday.
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