Obituary of Harold Leight

Dr. Harold Charles Leight, Denver; Husband of Carole Leight; Father of Margie Leight and Charlie (Kimberly) Leight; Grandfather of David, Steven, Emily, Katherine and Gregory Leight; Service, Tuesday, 11:00am, Feldman Mortuary Chapel. Interment Emanuel Cemetery. Contributions to Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute. Dr. Harold Charles Leight is walking among his ancestors after sharing his 91-year life with family and friends. He died early Saturday, Sept. 22, in Denver Hospice, after a long illness. Harold’s parents, Rose and Maurice Leight raised him in their home near City Park, where he spent time on the tennis courts when he wasn’t in school or working at the family’s downtown hardware store. He skipped a couple of years of junior high and high school, entering the University of Colorado as a 16-year-old. After graduating, he applied to medical, dental and law schools. He planned to go to the one that accepted him if any would. He got into all three. That was the academic start of the future ophthalmologist. While juggling the undergraduate load, he also enlisted in the Army. Beginning as a Private First Class in 1945, he worked his way up to Colonel in the National Guard. In the 60s and 70s, he devoted a lot of time tending to injured soldiers from the Vietnam conflict at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital. Harold graduated CU Medical School in 1951, then headed to Chicago for a one-year internship at Michael Reese Hospital. He followed that with his residencies at Michael Reese and Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, completing them in 1955. While in Chicago, he came back to Denver to marry Carole Jean Quiat, in March 1954. They completed their time in Chicago and returned to their families in Denver. A couple of years later, they celebrated the birth of Margie, then a year later, Charlie. On weekends, he waded through stretches of the Colorado River with his cousin Julian Cook, fishing for browns, cutthroats, and rainbow trout. The life-long love of fishing regularly took him to the Snake River in Idaho with brother-in-law, Gerald Quiat and friends. In the winters, he and Carole enjoyed their time skiing with the Over-The-Hill Ski Gang. He was one of the founders of the blind-skier programs at Winter Park and Keystone ski areas. For years, he held a standing reservation for a game of squash at the Jewish Community Center and a monthly poker game with his cohort. He and Carole enjoyed international travel by boat, bike and motor coach. In England, he performed lens implant surgery with British colleague John Pierce, pioneering the technique back in the U.S. While there, the two would fish for pike, trout, and Atlantic salmon in Scotland. During his last dozen years, Rose Reyes was his compassionate caregiver. His brothers Lester and Sidney predeceased Harold. He is survived by his wife Carole, daughter Margie Leight, son Charlie (Kimberly) Leight, grandchildren Katherine Leight, Gregory Leight, David Leight, Steven Leight, and Emily Leight and canine George. Zacher tzadik li’v’racha May his memory be for a blessing.