Jonathan Leiby ’58

Date posted: July 8, 2015, 11:49 am

Jonathan Leiby of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, passed away on May 28 at the Falmouth Hospital after a long illness. He was born on February 14, 1934, in Philadelphia, the son of Henry Nathan Leiby and Dr. Mary (Hiller) Leiby. He was educated at Friends Central School in Philadelphia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958. While a student, he worked on coast-wise tugboats and tankers. From 1959–1991, he was employed as a naval architect at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He described his profession in naval architecture as part art, part technology, and a good deal of precedent. He designed the Atlantis II, the research vessel Oceanus, and contributed significantly to the design of the Knorr. Later he became self employed as a designer of fishing vessels, tugboats, and barges, working with owners and shipyards from New Bedford to California. His favorite pastimes included sailing his Thistle, the restoration of steam engines, and sharing his wide knowledge of naval architecture and marine engineering with friends and colleagues. Years ago, he served as commodore of the Woods Hole Yacht Club.