A Life Well Lived: Gov. George M. Leader

Gov Leader and JaneLeader TIMEThis morning, Pennsylvania lost its oldest living governor:  George M. Leader, a York County Democrat who served from 1955 to 1959.  My colleagues and I had the great pleasure of working arm in arm with Governor Leader, his family, and a broad coalition that transcended partisan boundaries to help bring substantive corrections reform to Pennsylvania in 2012.  We were further honored when his daughter, Jane Leader Janeczek, agreed to join our Board of Directors in order to continue fighting for the policy changes our commonwealth so desperately needs. 

Governor Leader’s passion for serving the underserved, from his elder care business to his philanthropic work to better the lives of the poor, the imprisoned and their families, is an inspiration to us all at the Commonwealth Foundation.  So is the way he lived his life:  Just as the Founders intended, he served in elected office and then, after a time, went back to live and work under the laws he helped enact—serving the public in a different way, as a successful entrepreneur.  He believed deeply that finding effective and efficient ways of solving our public problems is not a partisan issue, and I’m so pleased that we were able to work with him to help realize some of his wishes last year. 

May God grant the Leader family peace and joy as they celebrate a life that was unquestionably well lived.