Thomas E. Leavey (1897–1980) was an American business executive, rancher, and philanthropist.

Thomas Leavey
Born1897
DiedMarch 29, 1980(1980-03-29) (aged 82–83)
Los Angeles County, California
EducationSanta Clara University
Georgetown University School of Law
Occupation(s)Business executive, philanthropist
Spouse
(m. 1930)
ChildrenKathleen McCarthy Kostlan Dorothy Therese Leavey

Early life

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Born near Ferndale, Humboldt County, California to Irish immigrants, he attended Santa Clara University and served briefly in the U. S. Army during the final months of World War I.[1] In 1923, he received a bachelor's degree from the Georgetown University School of Law and relocated to Los Angeles, California two years later.

Career

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In 1928, he co-founded the company that became the Farmers Insurance Group with John C. Tyler.

Philanthropy

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With his wife, Dorothy Leavey, he established the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation in 1952. The Leavey Foundation prefers to donate privately; however, it has publicly donated more than $200 million to support educational, religious, and other institutions.

Death

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He died on March 29, 1980, at the age of 82. Dorothy Leavey died in January 1998 at the age of 101.

References

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  1. ^ Michaelson, Judith (1994-10-30). "THE SUNDAY PROFILE : A Quiet Force : Dorothy E. Leavey loves sharing her millions with the needy and the deserving--especially children. But much of it is done anonymously. She doesn't like the fuss". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  1. Dunkley, John. A History of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies. Los Angeles: Farmers Insurance Group, 1993.
  2. Brown, Kathi. Sound Thinking and Lofty Ideals: The First Seventy Five Years of Farmers Insurance. Los Angeles: Farmers Insurance Group, 2003.
  3. ‘Welcome to Old West End’ by James Pegolotti; The Humboldt Historian: Vol. 56, No. 3; Fall, 2008.
  4. “The Personal File of Thomas E. Leavey.” (A brief memoir compiled in the 1970s and preserved in the Thomas E. Leavey Archives.)
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