Robert LeBuhn, 87, of Snowmass Village, Colorado, and Murray Hill, New Jersey, died August 9, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. He was born on May 2, 1932 in Davenport, Iowa, a son of Richard Carl LeBuhn and Mable (Blom) LeBuhn. He attended Davenport public schools, received a BS degree from Northwestern University in 1954, and went on to earn a MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in 1958.
In 1954 Mr. LeBuhn married Jo-Ann Fitzsimmons, who died in 1991, and in 1995 he married Elaine Lindley Woody.
Following his graduation from Northwestern, Mr. LeBuhn served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. After Wharton he began his long business career, during which he developed expertise in investment management, as well as corporate policy and governance. He started as a securities analyst with Cyrus J. Lawrence & Sons. Mr. LeBuhn then joined Eppler and Company, Inc., investment advisors to the Sid W. Richardson/Perry R. Bass interests of Fort Worth, Texas. From 1980 to 1984 he was a Managing Director at Rothschild, Inc. (formerly New Court Securities, Inc.), a US investment arm of the Rothschild family. In 1984 he was named President of Investor International, Inc. New York, subsidiary of Investor AB of Stockholm, Sweden, and he was its Chairman from 1992-1994. Investor AB is part of the Wallenberg Group of Swedish companies. Mr. LeBuhn was involved in the airline industry during its growth, deregulation, and consolidation, as he served for over 37 years on the board of US Airways, Inc. and its predecessor airlines. He served on the boards of directors of Cambrex Corporation, Acceptance Insurance Companies, and Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Mr. LeBuhn believed strongly in giving back. A long-time member of the board of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest supporters of the arts, education, environment, and animal welfare in New Jersey, he was its Chairman from 2000 to 2010. Some of the other community-focused boards he served on were Reach Out and Read and the Sidney E. Frank Foundation.
Mr. LeBuhn’s other lifelong passions included sports and music. He played basketball for Northwestern, and was a member of the United States Men’s team which won a gold medal at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City. He played the clarinet and piano, and loved opera. He was a member of the Finance Committee of the Board of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), a Trustee of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and a Trustee of the Aspen Music Festival and School.
He is survived by his wife, Elaine, a brother David (Becky), his children Anne MacCowatt (Tom), Ellen Walsh (Phil), Robert, Richard (Sarah), and Jason Woody (Suzanne). He leaves grandchildren Mimi, Liza, and Tommy MacCowatt, David and Julie Walsh, Katie, Emmaline, and Johanna LeBuhn, Sam and George Woody, and nieces and nephews to whom he was devoted. He was predeceased by a brother, Donald, and a sister, Martha Allen.
There will be celebrations of Mr. LeBuhn’s life in Morristown, New Jersey on September 13th, and in Aspen, Colorado on a date to be announced. Mr. LeBuhn was passionate about the importance of pre-school education and music. Gifts in Mr. LeBuhn’s memory may be made to the following two organizations that support those interests: Reach Out and Read New Jersey (www.reachoutandread.org/new-jersey, or sent to 2 Orchard Drive, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Please indicate that your donation is in memory of Rob LeBuhn), and From The Top (www.fromthetop.org/roblebuhn, or sent to 140 Clarendon Street, Suite 301, Boston, MA 02116).