Leonard Powell was born in the Bronx, New York to Jamaican immigrant parents on July 11th, 1951. His father was a proud World War II US Army veteran and his mother was a very caring and compassionate person who kept him on the right track.
Lenny, as he was known to friends, was an industrious person from an early age. As a young teenager, he borrowed his older brother’s working papers and got a job shoveling coal into the furnace at Fordham Hospital. He worked his way up from stoker to first-class doctor. He attended Lehman College and obtained a B.S. in chemistry. While at Lehman, he advocated for greater recognition, acknowledgement and support for African American students. He often studied at the library until midnight to prepare for admission to medical school. Lenny attended New York Medical school in Valhalla, New York and achieved his goal of becoming a doctor. He had a thriving medical practice in the Bronx.
Lenny, however, wanted to do more with his life. He accepted a position at ACRMD (now Lifespire). People with developmental disabilities have always been a marginalized group. Most doctors would put them at the bottom of the list as a specialty population, but Lenny put them at the top. He provided first-rate medical care and oversight to this often-underserved group. Lenny worked with people with developmental disabilities for more than thirty years at ACRMD/ Lifespire and Independent Living Association (ILA).
He had many superior abilities as a physician and knew how to listen. Most people felt that Lenny made a real effort to understand what they were trying to communicate, not just intellectually, but with a compassionate heart. He could respond to people in a way that made them feel heard and in terms they could readily comprehend. He had the ability to translate complex medical situations into language they could understand. He had a broad scope of medical knowledge and had superior skills in diagnosis and treatment.
Lenny had wonderful working relationships with the staff at both Lifespire and ILA. Upon hearing of his passing on September 17, 2022, many staff wept. He had significantly touched the lives of many people, not just as a physician, but because of who he was as a human being. We knew him at work, but he made time to have a happy family life as well. He had three daughters that he was always very proud of and remained devoted to them as they grew into adults. He and his wife Marsha cherished their life together. Lenny will forever be in the hearts of so many and, in the end, there can be no greater tribute.