Lawrence K. Leong

Lawrence K. Leong—beloved husband, father, and teacher—passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of February 12, 2021.  He was at his home in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, with his whole family, wife Lee and sons Kevin and Davin.  He was eighty-one.

Born in Singapore to his father Yong Mon Leong and mother Yin Peng Lee, Larry grew up the eldest of four children.  He was a natural teacher and lifelong learner, studying at Singapore’s Raffles Institution and Teachers’ Training College before traveling, in 1964, to the United States (“with forty dollars in my pocket”) to pursue more study with the help of contacts from his home church, Life Bible-Presbyterian Church.  In 1966, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Shelton College, and when he received his Master of Arts degree in Education from Beaver College (now Arcadia University), in 1974—the same year he became a naturalized citizen—he was the first male student to graduate there since the early 1900s.

In 1968, Larry married Lee Leong, also from Singapore, and began teaching in the Social Studies Department at Lower Moreland High School, the first person of color to serve on the faculty there.  For thirty years, he taught World Cultures, Psychology, Sociology, and Asian Cultures Seminar, a groundbreaking high school offering in the 1970s.  Those students who did not have him in class knew him as their Sophomore Class Advisor or from the various extracurricular activities he sponsored: World Affairs Council, Stage Crew, the school newspaper, and the yearbook, which earned top national awards for many years.  He remembered the names of all his students, and many of them considered him their favorite teacher.  

To those who knew him, Larry was a sweet, kind, and gentle man.  His warm-hearted nature and witty, self-deprecating sense of humor endeared him to everyone he met.  When you spoke to him, he made you feel like the most important person in the world.  A generous soul, he put everyone above himself.  He was dedicated to his students—even the ones he called “knuckleheads”—and, above all, his family, to whom he gave everything.  Larry was interested in all things Asian, and he amassed an impressive collection of books on Asian subjects and art and objects from all parts of Asia, which he frequently used in his teaching.  He loved reading world news, visiting flea markets, watching period dramas, and eating all kinds of delicious foods.

Larry was a man of unwavering faith, which sustained him through the many challenges in his life, especially the nerve deafness that robbed him of his hearing in middle age.  In the face of mounting health issues, he was a model of grace, calm, and quiet strength.  He continues to be an inspiration to many, especially his family, for whom he will always be the strongest person they know.

Larry is survived by his wife Lee, his sons Kevin and Davin, his brother Michael, his sister Irene, four nieces, and a nephew.  In accordance with his wishes, no funeral will be held, but his family invites you to share a kind word or remembrance below.  In lieu of flowers or gifts, his family suggests making a donation in Larry’s memory to the following organizations that hold the most meaning for you:

Foundation for Lower Moreland Schools — https://lmtsdfoundation.org/ or mail donation to: Foundation for Lower Moreland Schools, 2551 Murray Avenue, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006

Holy Redeemer Hospital — https://www.holyredeemer.com/

National Association of the Deaf — https://www.nad.org/