PEABODY – Mr. Leonard E. Phillips, Jr., 81 of Peabody, beloved husband of Carol (Faulkner) Phillips, died unexpectedly, June 29th, 2024 at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Peabody following a sudden medical incident.

Leonard was born on January 14th, 1943 in Schenectady, New York and is the son of the late Leonard Sr., and Elizabeth (Atkins) Phillips and brother-in-law of Howard Maloy and brother of the late Merideth Maloy all of Scotia, New York.

Len attended the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake schools. After graduation he attended Morrisville Agricultural and Technical College and was selected to be a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honorary society. He received an Associate's degree in Agriculture. He continued his education at the University of Illinois and received degrees in Landscape Architecture and Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture. While there, he was also a member and President of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity.

On July 4th, 1971, he married Carol Faulkner of Middleton, Massachusetts and they lived together in Peabody for over 50 years. Together they enjoyed three daughters and sons-in-law, and nine grandchildren.

After college graduation, Len spent a couple months touring the United States before beginning work as a consultant at various private and government agencies until 1978 when he began serving as the Superintendent of Parks and Trees and the municipal Landscape Architect for the Town of Wellesley, Massachusetts. After leaving Wellesley he became the Tree Warden and Planning Board Administrator in Boxford, Massachusetts, until his retirement in 2009.

He joined the Society of Municipal Arborists in 1982 and continued until his death as an Honorary Life Member. Len served as the Editor of City Trees, the journal of the Society of Municipal Arborists, from 1985 until 2004, where he authored over 1,000 articles. In 1995, he was awarded a "Top Ten Leader of the Year, 1995" in the American Public Works Association

He was a registered Landscape Architect in Massachusetts and several other states from 1969 to 2009 and was a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects for 45 years, becoming Emeritus in 2009.

In 2005, Len was the Founder of Online Seminars for Municipal Arborists and the Founder of LinkedIn's Urban Forestry Discussion Group where he authored over 1,000 lectures and articles and oversaw the growth of the group to be one of the most active discussion groups in the LinkedIn system.

Len enjoyed gardening and collecting perennials. For 16 years he operated a mail order nursery called Perfect Perennials and was proud of his collection of over 450 different varieties of Hosta especially the hosta he developed and registered under the name of "Blue Tinge" Hosta. Besides his family, the study of trees and maintaining perennials were the principal amusements of his professional life.

During his career he received many awards for his photography and landscape designs. He authored over 2,000 professional articles and two books "Urban Trees" and "Parks: Design and Management" both published by McGraw-Hill, along with seven other professional booklets, including "A History of the Society of Municipal Arborists".

For Arbor Age Magazine he was the author of the "Tree of the Month" feature for 15 years and he lectured at several professional conferences and universities. He also served on the Editorial Quality Review Board for "Grounds Maintenance" magazine.

Len received four major awards from the Society of Municipal Arborists including Honorary Life Member. He was also a Top Ten Leader of the Year in 1995 from the American Public Works Association.  Under his leadership, Wellesley's Park and Tree Division became an Accredited Forestry Department.

Len is survived by Carol, his wife of over 50 years as well as three daughters and their husbands, Kristine and Shawn Charles of Hampstead, NH, Suzanne and Francis Iula of Peabody, MA, and Michelle and Thomas Labatte of Atkinson, NH.  He is also the grandfather of Ethan and Ashleigh Charles, Francis IV (Frankie), Michael, and Kathryn (Katy) Iula, Thomas (TJ), Avery, Alexa (Lexi), and Landon Labatte.

AWARDS

"Award of Recognition" by the Society of Municipal Arborists, 2004

"President's Award" by the Society of Municipal Arborists, 2003

"Honorary Life Membership" by the Society of Municipal Arborists, 1999

"Certificate of Recognition" from the Wellesley Conservation Council, 1993

"Award of Merit" from the Society of Municipal Arborists, 1992

"Accredited Forestry Department" by the Society of Municipal Arborists, 1990 & 1995

1989 Gold Leaf Award from the International Society of Arboriculture for Arbor Day Programs

Certificate of Appreciation from the Mayor of Peabody, Massachusetts

Winner of several photography contests Wellesley Conservation Council

1986 Toro Landscape Industry Advancement Award from the Landscape Architecture Foundation

Award of Merit from the Boston Society of Landscape Architects for Professional Excellence in Landscape Architecture, 1985

Park Award from the National Institute on Park and Grounds Management for adding growth retardant to field marking paint, 1982

ARRANGEMENTS: His funeral service will be held at O'Donnell Cremations – Funerals – Celebrations, 167 Maple St., (rte 62) DANVERS, Tuesday, July 9th at 11:30 A.M. Relatives and friends invited. Burial in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Visiting hour prior to the service from 10 to 11 A.M. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Leonard's memory to Community Crossroads, 8 Commerce Dr., Unit 801, Atkinson, NH 03811 or via communitycrossroadsnh.org or to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or via dana-farber.org/gift . To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.

Community Crossroads
8 Commerce Dr., Unit 801, Atkinson NH 03811
Web: http://communitycrossroadsnh.org

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
P.O. Box 849163, Boston MA 02284
Tel: 1-800-525-4669
Web: http://www.dana-farber.org/gift