Leonard Packel

Our world burns less bright and is less kind today. Leonard Packel, 89, of Philadelphia and Wynnewood, died peacefully on September 9, 2024.

 Born in Philadelphia on April 7, 1935, to Benjamin and Frances Packel, Len graduated from West Philadelphia High School where he won a medal for best student-athlete of his class of 1953. He earned the Philadelphia Board of Education scholarship and attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. While there, he was in the fraternity Tau Epsilon Phi and forged friendships that lasted his entire life, graduating in 1957. Next, Len earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Harvard Law School in 1960.

 In his third year of law school, on December 4, 1959, he went on his first date with Susan Finesilver from the Bronx who was a junior studying at nearby Brandeis University. In May of 1960, after finishing all his law school exams, he took Sue to the Massachusetts seaside town of Rockport. While having lunch overlooking the ocean, a ringless Len surprised Sue by asking, “Will you spend the rest of your life with me?” Sue asked back, “But do you love me?” Len wisely retorted, “Of course I do!” After serving six months of mandatory service in the U.S. Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Eustis, Virginia, Len and Sue married on July 27, 1961, at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City and were married for 61 years until Sue’s tragic death in November 2022. 

Len had several legal jobs in Philadelphia and Harrisburg for the next decade, including serving as Chief of the Trial Division of the Philadelphia Public Defender and Chief of the Office of Criminal Law in the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. It was not until 1973 that he found his dream job of teaching at Villanova Law School. Len truly loved teaching. He was beloved by both students and colleagues. Professor Packel was highly appreciated for his patience, kindness, sense of humor, and generosity of time. He had an open-door office policy and reveled at the many moments when students would pop in for help and advice. Sue and Len were avid travelers to Europe and there was rarely a city when a former student wouldn’t call out, “Professor Packel!” He loved those impromptu meetups and so did Sue, who glowed with pride for her beloved “Lennie”. Even though he officially retired in 2006 after 33 years of serving on the faculty, he continued to teach one class, Trial Practice, for another 6 years. One of his greatest professional achievements is the book, Pennsylvania Evidence, which he co-wrote with his colleague, Professor Anne Poulin. This tome became the gold standard resource for all evidentiary topics across the Commonwealth. 

Len had a rich social life, which started with frequent dates with Sue, who he adored for her intelligence, sense of humor, and spunk. They had many friends from various parts of their lives, often getting together for book club, movie club, and dinners out at various restaurants on the Main Line and in Philadelphia. As a father, we deeply appreciate how he coached many of our teams in the Penn Valley Little League. We appreciate the wonderful summers at Pinemere Camp and Long Beach Island. But most importantly, we appreciate his kindness, patience, his singing silly limericks, his wonderful story-telling, and his love for us, and for our mom. 

Leonard was a devoted and generous husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He is survived by his sons David and Daniel, his daughter-in-law Eve, grandchildren Maya Policare and Nathaniel Packel, sister Sally Levin, and nephews Richard Levin, Steven Packel, and Stanford Packel.

The interment will be private. However, all are welcome to help celebrate Leonard's life in a memorial service at Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood, PA, thi s Sunday, September 15, at 3:00 p.m. Instead of flowers, the family requests donations to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (chop.edu), the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law (villanova.edu/university/law), or a charity of your choice.