Jun 21, 1983 - Jun 2018

Leah Naomi Horowitz was born June 21, 1983 in Pasadena to Marci and Larry Horowitz. She grew up in Claremont, attending Sycamore Elementary, El Roble Intermediate School and graduating from Claremont High School in 2001.

Leah had a deep reverence for life and was in awe of the natural beauty and wonder of the world around her. Even as a very young child she would comment on the beauty of the sun’s rays emanating from beyond the clouds. As a child, she loved dinosaurs, archeology and Egyptian history. She loved to dig in the dirt, play in the mud, climb trees and sit on the roof to ponder life.

At El Roble, Leah discovered woodworking, metalworking, science, math, cross country and extreme biking. She also became involved in Civil Air Patrol and was an avid rock climber. Leah developed a love of running. She was determined to become a varsity athlete at Claremont High and committed to lettering in every sport she decided to try. She met every goal.

While at CHS, Ms. Horowitz was actively involved with the athletics program excelling in cross country, track and pole vaulting, all the while maintaining grades to qualify as scholar-athlete at Claremont High. She was affectionately known as “Animal” due to her ferocious determination and perseverance. She also set one of the CHS records for pole vaulting.

As a scholar-athlete, Ms. Horowitz headed to Fresno State after graduating from CHS where she walked on to the Fresno State track and field team. Here she was known as “Packy,” since she practiced with a heavy backpack to continue to build her upper body strength and endurance as a pole vaulter and a runner. She eventually returned to southern California where she continued her track activities and completed her bachelor of science in nutrition at Cal State Los Angeles. 

Ms. Horowitz remained active after graduation. She enjoyed rock climbing, bicycling, roller blading and kayaking for relaxation. She became involved with the Prison City Derby Dames roller derby in Chino and skated for a season as a jammer (Squint) for the team. She joined Toastmasters International where she honed her public speaking skills, and was an active member of COPE Health Scholars, first as a volunteer and then becoming a training coordinator.

After discovering a career in nutrition was not for her, Ms. Horowitz enrolled at Mt. San Antonio College’s electronics program. She loved to work with her mind and her hands. She always had a knack for putting things together, as well as taking things apart, and found electronics a skill that challenged her creativity and her puzzle solving abilities.

Ms. Horowitz became a teaching assistant in the electronics department at Mt. SAC, coaching other students with their studies. She eventually became the parts room manager for the electronics department. Her talent in electronics was recognized when she entered the Skills USA competition and, in 2012, went on to represent the state of California at the national competition in Kansas City, Missouri.

Fate smiled down on Leah while at Mt. SAC; a representative from Southern California Edison saw her in action with the other students and was impressed by her abilities. He suggested she apply for an internship with the company. Ms. Horowitz competed with 500 other applicants for 10 openings and was hired by SCE in 2012.

She began her work with SCE on a construction team in the telecom portion of the company and eventually landed a training coordinator’s position. It was in this position that Ms. Horowitz could truly use all her knowledge talent and skills. As a field technician, she had experienced the successes and challenges of working with the various teams at Edison. She used her skills as a coach to bring different groups together, finding common ground and shared goals to optimize the talents of individuals and teams for the benefit of the organization. She continued as a member of the Electronics and Computer Department Advisory Committee for Mt. SAC, where her input and ideas helped improve the retention and success rates of students in the program.

Leah lived life passionately and courageously. While she had a tough exterior, she was very sensitive and caring. She was deeply committed to issues related to equality and social justice. 

Ms. Horowitz was a no-nonsense person and she was not afraid to speak up. She was highly respected and treated everyone with respect. While she was greatly admired, she was humble and focused on the needs of others.

She was affected by those she met, and she affected all with whom she interacted. She truly had a gift of bringing people together, helping them explore diverse perspectives of an issue, helping them find a shared vision and goals for the common good. Ms. Horowitz always looked out for the team members, the group or the organization without expectation of recognition in return.  Her reward was a collective job well done.

Ms. Horowitz died unexpectedly on June 25, 2018 at her home. She is survived by her parents, Marci and Larry Horowitz of Claremont; her sisters Sara (partner Shawn Michaelson, and their daughters Hailey and Alisia Michaelson) and Rebekkah (husband, Marcus Epstein, and their son, Nathan Lee Epstein); grandparents Rachel and Jerry Luxenburg and Shirlee Horowitz; and many aunts, uncles and cousins around the United States.

“She possessed a unique and special soul,” her family shared. “Leah was one of a kind. She will be greatly missed but her love and spirit will live on in those who had the privilege of knowing and loving her.”

Services were held on July 2, 2018 at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Remembrances may be made at https://www.hillsidememorial.org/obituaries/leah-naomi-horowitz/2291/.

As a proud Mt. SAC alumna, a strong advocate for women in science and technology and a valued member of the Electronics and Computer Technology Department Advisory Committee, donations in remembrance of Ms. Horowitz can be made to the department by visiting givetomtsac.org. The program is the fourth option on the pull-down menu of gift designations.

From Leah's father...

In the movie, the Last Samurai, there was a moment after the death of the last samurai when the emperor asks how he died, and the American soldier (played by Tom Cruise) answers….I will not tell you how he died, let me tell you how he lived….. Our daughter Leah lived her life passionately and courageously. She was our youngest daughter and a loving pest to her two older sisters. She vowed to be the world’s greatest aunt when her nephew was born. 

While she seemed to have a tough exterior, she was actually a very deeply feeling, highly sensitive person who felt and experienced everything around her. Even as young as pre-school, she had a deep reverence for life and was in awe of the natural beauty and wonder of the world around her. She would look at the sky and comment on the beauty of the sun’s rays emanating beyond the clouds; she would freak out if someone killed a bug because it was supposed to be allowed to live. Even when she encountered Crick-Zilla, a larger than life cricket that had perched itself on her pillow and as she opened her eyes, there it was, staring back at her. She screamed hysterically; at the same time, she wanted to make sure we only removed it from her room and did not kill it. 

As a young child, Leah was intrigued with archeology and paleontology. There were many “digs” in our backyard. Her interest in dinosaurs was insatiable, we must own every one Fisher-Price ever made. She was fascinated with Egyptian history and at one point insisted that she was to be mummified after she died. As she grew older, her interest and curiosity only grew. Leah became a renaissance woman, one with many talents and passions; an energetic, active scholar-athlete who was creative and innovative. 

In junior high she discovered woodworking, metalworking, science, math, cross country and extreme biking. She became an accomplished soccer player and developed a love of running. She was determined to letter in every sport once she entered high school and she did; she was on the varsity cross country team, played water polo and soccer and became a record-setting pole vaulter for Claremont High School. As a scholar-athlete, she received an athletic scholarship as a walk-on for the track and Field team Fresno State University. Her teammates called her “Packy” because she would practice her running while wearing a 120 pound backpack. 

Leah eventually decided to return to L.A. area, where she continued as an athlete for Cal-State LA and completed her degree in Nutrition. She soon figured out she did not want to work as a dietician and began exploring the world of technology. It was during this time Leah found a new sport, Roller Derby. She joined the Prison City Derby Dames in Chino and trained to become a “jammer”. This is the player who must skate around the other team to score points. Leah (Squint) was petite but strong as a line-baker; one could only watch with awe as she pushed her way through the pack to score for her team. Leah liked to work with her mind and her hands, and when she entered the electronics program at Mt. San Antonio College, she found a new passion and her niche in life. Electronics satisfied her intellectual curiosity along with her creative skills. She became a leading student amongst her peers. She became a teaching assistant in the program and participated on the Career-Tech Advisory Council at Mt. Sac. while completing her AA in Electronics. 

It was at this time she was discovered by Gary from Southern California Edison. He recognized that SCE could benefit from her knowledge, passion, and abilities and he encouraged her to apply for an internship within the company. Leah competed with 500 applicants for the 10 positions available; she was selected and had found a job that allowed her to use her knowledge and talents as a scholar, athlete, creative artist, and coach. There are no words to describe how excited she was to become a member of the SCE family. Leah worked in the telecom part of SCE, beginning in the construction crew and learning the job. She was the only women on the crew and she quickly earned the respect and admiration from her crew mates as one who could literally carry her weight in the role. In less than 2 years, she was asked to consider a position that was opening up, training coordinator for the field technicians. She applied and was eventually selected from amongst several applicants. It was in this position that Leah could truly use all of her knowledge, talents, and skills. As a field technician, she had experienced the challenges of teams not optimizing their talents among and across teams. She used her skills as a coach to help bring different groups together, finding common ground and shared goals to optimize the talents of individuals and teams for the benefit of the organization. 

Leah was guided by a deep sense of social justice and equity. She spoke her mind when needed and stood on her principles. She had to live her life on her terms and as her parents we respected and supported her. She never berated anyone she met even if she disagreed. She was a giant among her peers, and yet she was very humble. Leah was affected by those she met and she affected all with whom she interacted. She truly had a gift of bringing people together, helping them explore the diverse perspectives of an issue, helping them find a shared vision and goals for the common good. She did not just possess a spark of the divine, she possessed a divine flame. A special soul, a unique soul; she was one of a kind. She was aware of how much she was loved by those who knew her and she deeply loved her family, friends, and peers. 

Our hearts are broken, our souls are in pain as we prepare to say goodbye to our daughter, grand-daughter, sister, aunt, and niece at such a young age. We believe Leah’s soul was needed elsewhere in this universe to pass on her sense of duty and righteousness, her love, skills, and kindness to build a better world—Tikkun Olam. We have only touched on Leah’s many accomplishments, there is so much more to share and so much more we can learn from all you. Do not ask us how Leah died, rather let us share with one another how she lived…..

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who prey upon them with IBM eyes
And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.
There are men too gentle for a savage world
Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween
And wonder if the leaves will change their color soon.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws
And murder them for a merchant’s profit and gain.
There are men too gentle for a corporate world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who devour them with appetite and search
For other men to prey upon and suck their childhood dry.
There are men too gentle for an accountant’s world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove
Such gentle men are lonely in a merchant’s world
Unless they have a gentle one to love.

- James Kavanaugh