Leon (Lee) Lipkis was born in Salt Lake City to Russian immigrant parents, Abram Lipkis and Mary Altschuler. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1928. Lipkis attended John Burroughs Junior High and Los Angeles High School, where he played Varsity C Basketball and water polo, and spent long summer days on the beach with friends. Lipkis graduated as a Bruin, then attended the Southern California College of Optometry.
Although he was a pacifist, when the U.S. entered World War II, he was trained as an officer and became a U.S. Air Force Captain. He was deployed to the 451st Bomber Squadron out of Essex, England, and produced a book on the wartime work of the squadron.
After the war, he married Joyce David and opened a private optometric practice in Leimert Park. Lipkis developed a special knack for diagnosing unusual visual problems and for helping patients rehabilitate damaged brain function. As an equal opportunity optometrist, he delighted in fitting contact lenses on dogs, and on kangaroos at the L.A. Zoo.
Lipkis helped build the B’nai Israel Synagogue in South Los Angeles, where he served multiple terms as president. He volunteered his optometric services for the Venice Family Clinic and formed a mutual aid group for optometrists. He served on the boards of B’nai Israel and the Southern California College of Optometry. He was a founding board member of TreePeople, remaining active until his death. Lipkis was also an active member of the Brandeis Men’s Breakfast Club.
Lipkis enjoyed playing and watching tennis, was an early investor in the Lakers, and a major Bruins and Lakers fan.
He is survived by his sons, Don (Arlene), Roger (Desiree) and Andy (Kate), and his grandchildren, Phoebe, Kira, Alex, Henry, Sienna and Skye.
A memorial service, including dedication of the Joyce and Lee Lipkis Garden, was held at the TreePeople Center for Community Forestry on Nov. 28, 2009.
The Lipkis family invites contributions to TreePeople in Lipkis’ memory to support the garden. For more information, visit TreePeople.org.
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