Dr. Thomas Leavitt, Jr., 85, of Newton, MA, passed away on Nov. 9, 2010. Born to Thomas and Mildred Leavitt in Assinippi, MA, he was a lifelong resident of the Boston area, living in Weston for over 50 years. He had a love for travel, visiting 15 countries and 42 states over his lifetime, with a particular fondness for the Maine Allagash wilderness.
Dr. Leavitt dedicated his life’s work to medicine, beginning his medical career in the Army, attending Walter Reed General Hospital Enlisted Men’s Training School. He was the Ward Master of the 309th General Hospital and later the 118th Station Hospital in Tinean and Fukuoka, Kyoshu, Japan.
In addition to his private practice and his teaching at Harvard Medical School, he also served as the Vice Chairman of the Free Hospital for Women and as Chairman of the Medical Staff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Leavitt was recognized for his many contributions to medicine, including being honored with Harvard Medical School’s Irving Award for outstanding teacher of operative gynecology. He was given the William P. Graves Ovarian Cancer Award for “dedication to the practice of medicine, teaching, and hospital” including working on the test for ovarian cancer, CA125. He did extensive research on the diseases of the breast and the female reproductive system, and was president of the Boston Obstetrical Society, Chair of the Massachusetts section of American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), ACOG National Task Forces Breast Cancer and Pelvic Center, President of the New England Association of Gynecological Oncologists, Liaison to the American College of Radiology Committee on Mammography and Diseases of the Breast. As author or co-author, his medical research was published more than 20 times.
He leaves his wife of 61 years, June P. Leavitt, his children: Dianne Brooks of Concord, Betsy Leavitt-Vaughan of NH, Karen L. Manning of Marion, MA, Thomas Leavitt III of London and Tracey L. Kronberg of Issaquah, WA, and his seven grandchildren.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sat., Nov. 13 @ 1PM in the Parish of the Epiphany Church, 70 Church St., Winchester. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting Hours will be held Fri., 5-8PM in the Costello Funeral Home 177 Washington St., Winchester. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dr. Leavitt’s name may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor Brookline, MA 02445-7226 ATTN: Contribution Services or to the Brigham and Women's Hospital c/o Development Office 116 Huntington Ave., 5th floor, Boston, MA 02116. Late Veteran U.S. Army WWII.