Leonard Quittner, patent attorney, manufacturer, inventor and long-time resident of Reading, died Saturday, January 15, 2005 in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 77.

He was born in Brooklyn, NY on March 4,1927, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and received bachelors and masters degrees in chemistry, as well as a juris doctorate from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. He was an assistant district attorney in Manhattan and briefly practiced civil law there before moving to Reading to run a factory.

He operated Hardesty-Quittner Manufacturing Inc., which made fireplace equipment and ornamental housewares in Sinking Springs, PA from 1956 to 1981. Quittner then went back to the law, sat for and passed the U.S. Patent Bar, and started a private practice in Reading. He argued one infringement case before the U.S. Supreme Court i n 1984.

Quittner held a number of patents, mainly for fireplace equipment and metallurgical processes.

He was also a navigation instructor for the United States Power Squandrons Schuykilll River chapter. He retired from law in 1992, and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in December, 2003.

Quittner is survived by his beloved wife,Beverly, of Scottsdale; and sons,Joshua, of Mill Valley, CA.; Seth, of SanFrancisco, CA.; Jeremy, of Manhattan, NY ;and Adam of Brooklyn, NY, as well as seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in Reading on April 17, 2005.