[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 15, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             REMEMBERING A GREAT LOUISVILLIAN CIVIC LEADER

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I rise today with great sadness to 
honor a departed friend. Laramie [Larry] Leatherman, of Louisville, KY, 
passed away at the young age of 61 yesterday.
  I have known Larry for many years, and Louisville will suffer because 
of this loss. He had long been involved in the Louisville community and 
was currently serving as the chairman of the Louisville Area Chamber of 
Commerce. Larry, along with other hardworking Louisvillians, was 
instrumental in forming the comprehensive plan for downtown Louisville.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering this outstanding 
Kentuckian. Those of us who knew Larry will miss his sense of humor, 
intellect, and dedication to helping his community. Madam President, I 
ask that a statement I gave honoring Larry Leatherman in September 
1992, be included in the Record at this point. In addition, I ask that 
an article from the March 15, 1994, Courier Journal be inserted into 
the Record following my statement.
  There being objection, the article was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

 Tribute to Laramie L. Leatherman--Small Town Values Pay Big Dividends

       Madam President, I rise today and ask my colleagues to join 
     me in paying tribute to a great Louisvillian. Laramie (Larry) 
     Leatherman has risen from a humble rural background to become 
     chairman of the executive committee of one of Kentucky's most 
     prestigious law firms, Greenbaum Doll & McDonald.
       Born and raised on a farm in East-Central Illinois, Mr. 
     Leatherman is no stranger to hard work. At an early age he 
     was driving a team of horses to cultivate a crop of corn, as 
     well as raising cattle and butchering hogs. Despite enjoying 
     his early life he knew that he would eventually want to get 
     off of the farm. Through the guidance of his parents he 
     learned that the way out was through education. Mr. 
     Leatherman excelled in the classroom graduating high school 
     at age 16 and the University of Kentucky College of Law by 
     age 21.
       Fresh from law school, Mr. Leatherman came to Washington, 
     D.C. to be a clerk for a U.S. Tax Court judge. He stayed in 
     this position for almost 3 years and believes that the job 
     gave him ideal training for his position as a tax attorney at 
     Greenbaum Doll & McDonald. He has been with the Louisville 
     firm for 33 years, the past 6 in his current capacity as 
     chairman of the executive committee.
       In addition to being an accomplished tax lawyer, Mr. 
     Leatherman is praised by his friends and colleagues as one 
     with a great deal of common sense. He is a master at 
     explaining the complicated and making it understandable. He 
     is able to quickly understand complex concepts and then 
     effectively pass on his knowledge to others.
       Outside the law, Mr. Leatherman is active in other 
     activities as well. He is a trustee and vice president of the 
     Gheens Foundation Inc., vice president of Kentucky 
     Educational Foundation Inc., and vice chairman of Louisville 
     Central Area. He gives freely of his time and expertise to 
     these organizations contributing greatly to their successes.
       Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
     recognizing this fine Louisvillian whose life is an example 
     of how hard work and dedication pay off with great reward.
                                  ____


   Louisville Civic Leader Larry Leatherman, 61, Dies of Heart Attack

                          (By Sheldon Shafer)

       Attorney Laramie ``Larry'' Leatherman, chairman of the 
     Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce and one of Louisville's 
     busiest civic leaders, died yesterday at Alliant Medical 
     Pavillion, He was 61 and died of a heart attack, his law firm 
     said.
       Leatherman was chairman of the executive committee of 
     Greenebaum, Doll & McDonald, one of Kentucky's largest law 
     firms. In the late 1980s, as chairman of Louisville Central 
     Area he was a prime mover in the creation of a comprehensive 
     plan for downtown Louisville. He also was active in promoting 
     education--he is credited with coming up with the idea for 
     the Gheens Professional Development Academy, a teacher-
     training institute in Louisville. He was a trustee and vice 
     president of the Gheens Foundation, and had been treasurer.
       His death came as a shock to Mayor Jerry Abramson, who said 
     Leatherman was one of 18 partners in Greenebaum Doll & 
     McDonald when Abramson joined the firm about 20 years ago, 
     Leatherman worked closely with Abramson on numerous chamber 
     activities and economic-development and downtown projects and 
     committees.
       Leatherman's death ``is a tremendous loss to this community 
     and to me personally,'' the mayor said, ``he contributed 
     greatly to our economic growth.''
       Abramson said Leatherman was a firm believer in the need to 
     unify local government and the community. He and Jefferson 
     County Judge-Executive Dave Armstrong had met with Leatherman 
     on Friday to discuss a planned study of local government.
       Leatherman ``never talked about the East End or the West 
     End; he truly believed in the community and that we could 
     grow only as a consolidated community, with a common goal and 
     common leadership,'' Abramson said.
       Armstrong noted that Leatherman was serving as a co-
     chairman of the county's Cornerstone 2020 project, which 
     includes the drafting of a new county land-use plan.
       ``This is a real blow,'' Armstrong said of Leatherman's 
     death. ``He was a close friend. . . . If you think of all the 
     contributions he made, filling his shoes will not be easy for 
     any individuals or the community.''
       Chamber of Commerce and downtown development officials said 
     Leatherman had a critical leadership role in downtown 
     projects now under way.
       ``As much as anybody else, he is responsible for the 
     Louisville Downtown Development Plan,'' said Errol Frailey, 
     president of Louisville Central Area. The plan, put together 
     four or five years ago, triggered such projects as the 
     expansion of Commonwealth Convention Center and development 
     of a Main Street cultural district.
       ``He wanted to make sure this was not just a plan that sat 
     on the shelf,'' Downtown Development Corp, director Barry 
     Alberts said of the cultural district. ``He made us stick 
     with it.''
       Alderman Paul Bather said: ``He was a hard worker. Even 
     though he achieved financial success and some power, he was 
     still just one of the guys, and very approachable. He had a 
     great sense of humor, but at the same time, he did not mind 
     cussing you out, if you deserved it.''
       P. Richard Anderson Jr., partner in charge of the 
     Louisville office of Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, said 
     Leatherman was one of the firm's earliest partners, joining 
     about 35 years ago. ``His loss will leave a tremendous void, 
     for the community and the firm,'' Anderson said. ``His 
     leadership will be missed terribly.''
       Leatherman, who specialized in tax law, was born in 
     Martinsville, Ill. He graduated from Eastern Illinois State 
     University in 1950 and the University of Kentucky Law School 
     in 1953. He was a UK Fellow and past president of the UK Law 
     Alumni Association.
       In addition to his other community work, he was a director 
     of the Downtown Development Corp., a member of the executive 
     committee of Bellarmine College, and director and secretary 
     of the Center for Leadership in School Reform.
       He was past director of the Louisville-Jefferson County 
     Regional Airport Authority. He was a commissioner of the 
     Louisville and Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Bureau 
     and served on many chamber committees. He was a member of 
     Calvin Presbyterian Church and an Army veteran.
       He was a member of the Louisville, Kentucky and American 
     bar associations; and of Harmony Landing Country Club, 
     Pendennis Club and Jefferson Club.
       He is survived by his wife, Portia; two sons, Jeffrey and 
     Todd Leatherman; a daughter, Coutney Leatherman; and three 
     grandchildren.
       Funeral arrangements were incomplete last night at 
     Pearson's.

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