William Leavitt

William T. Leavitt (Bill), 83, of Princeton, NJ and long-time resident of Highland Park, NJ, died Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at the University Medical Center at Princeton.
Born in Bronxville, NY, Bill graduated from Scarsdale High School and enlisted in the United States Navy from which he was honorably discharged at the end of World War II. He then attended Harvard University, graduating in 1950 with a degree in Engineering. At Harvard, he was a member of the Heavyweight Crew Team that won the 1948 and 1949 Eastern Sprints and Bill captained the 1950 team that won the Grand Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta in Oxfordshire, England.
After graduation, he taught math at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, MA before going back to Harvard University as the Freshman Rowing Coach from 1951 to 1958. During his tenure, his teams won the 1955 and 1958 Eastern Sprints.
In 1959, Bill moved on to Rutgers University as the Head, Heavyweight Crew Coach and Program Director. For 28 years, Bill developed the program into a national contender, with Intercollegiate Rowing Association second and third place finishes in 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967 and 1974. In 1981, his team was the national runner-up taking 2nd place at the Eastern Sprints. As Program Director, Bill introduced Women’s Rowing at Rutgers and grew a program that produced four Olympians and numerous U.S. National team members for men and women. Bill retired from Rutgers University in 1987.
A true influence in the sport of rowing, Bill played various roles with the U.S. Men’s National Rowing Team highlighted by his term as Manager of the 1983 team that won two Bronze medals at the World Rowing Championships. A proponent of the sport’s growth, he was also the Regatta Director of the inaugural Women’s Eastern Sprints in 1974.
Bill was recognized for his career achievements being inducted in the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1978 and was awarded the United States Rowing’s Clayton W. Chapman Award in 2001.
Bill is survived by his wife of 46 years, Janice; sons Todd, and his wife, Moira of Crofton, MD; Mark and his wife, Christina, of DeLand, FL; a daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, John LaDuca of Staten Island, NY; and seven grandchildren, John, Tim, Regan, Scott, Caitlin, Ryan, and Jane.
There will be no immediate open funeral service. A memorial will be held at a later date. Donations can be made in Bill’s name to the Rutgers Crew program through the Rutgers University Foundation online at support.rutgers.edu or via
Mail to 7 College Avenue New Brunswick, NJ 08901.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Leavitt, please visit our floral store.