By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
AND DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Neocles Leontis was both genius and generous.
When he died in a car crash Tuesday evening north of Bowling Green, he left an empty lectern in his chemistry classes, an vacant seat at City Council, and a stilled voice that had long stood up for environmental and social justice.
The community is digesting the loss and enveloping his wife, Vassiliki, with support.
A valiant voice on City Council
Leontis, who had not quite completed his first year on City Council when he died Tuesday, left a lot unfinished. But, as one member said, he had already bolstered the science and conscience of council.
“Neocles was a passionate man about things,” from responsibility to the planet to living conditions in the city, Mayor Mike Aspacher said.
“He spent a lot of time advocating for the processes to make housing safe,” the mayor said. “He was tireless in his asking questions.”
Leontis was known to city government long before he was sworn in last January. He was already a familiar face for often attending City Council meetings to bring up green energy and environmental issues.
“I have a deep respect for that,” Aspacher said.
Council President Mark Hollenbaugh first met Leontis when they worked together with the East Side residents group. The two men often met to discuss local or national issues over coffee at Grounds for Thought.
“He was passionate. Even if you disagreed, it was a pleasant conversation,” Hollenbaugh recalled.
When Leontis was elected to council, he came in with goals.
“Of course, he was ready to go right out of the gate,” Hollenbaugh said. “He got involved in local politics not because he wanted a higher office. It was simply to be a public servant.”
Council member Sandy Rowland admired Leontis’ persistence.
“I can’t help but get an image of the Energizer Bunny when I think of Neocles,” she said. “He was an avid fighter for the environment. He brought a different drum beat to City Council.
Rowland recognized that Leontis was always educating – always trying to impart more knowledge.
“He was teaching while serving on council,” she said. “He taught us the reasons and the rationale for his beliefs.”
And if people still couldn’t see – he would try again.
“He was always a gentleman,” Rowland said.
Council member Rachel Phipps, who joined Leontis as a new council member this year, first met him six years ago when both were active in climate and sustainability issues.
“He was the voice in town on that,” she said. “I admired Neocles so much. He was so smart and so passionate.”
Phipps also remembered Leontis’ humanity.
“I was blown away by his kindness and his huge heart. I will miss him. I already do.”
Councilman John Zanfardino, who first met Leontis years ago when both were doing door-to-door work for a candidate, was also struck by his empathy for those less fortunate.
“He was really aware of the divisions in society,” Zanfardino said. “He had as good a heart as I’ve met in my life.”
The Republicans on City Council also shared respect for Leontis’ dedication to the community.
“I think that Neocles showed a great desire to make Bowling Green a better city for people to live and work in,” Councilman Greg Robinette said. “I appreciated that in him.”
Their perspectives and priorities were sometimes at odds, but that’s what makes government work, Robinette said.
“We didn’t have to agree on an issue to agree that we wanted the best for Bowling Green,” he said.
Councilman Bill Herald worked with Leontis on legislation to improve rental housing conditions in the city.
“Although Neocles viewed himself as a scientist, what stood out to me was his concern for others – especially those who are less fortunate,” Herald said. “Neocles was a man of great heart and compassion.”
Leontis would go beyond the nuts-and-bolts of legislation to focus on – and advocate for – improving the lives of citizens, Herald said.
“He contributed to the science and conscience of council.”
Always teaching
Though Leontis was a loud voice for those less fortunate, he was very quiet about his own successes.
Leontis received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and completed his graduate work at Harvard University and his doctorate at Yale University in 1986. His research interests focused on DNA and RNA 3D structures, using an integrated biophysical, biochemical and bioinformatic approach. He authored several books and was issued six patents. He served as a program officer for the National Science Foundation from 2009 to 2012. In addition, he helped secure more than $7 million in grant-funded activities.
Bob Midden, a retired BGSU chemistry professor, first met Leontis when he was interviewing for a position at BGSU in 1987 and stayed at Leontis’s home during a recruiting visit.
“He was truly an internationally known and highly respected biochemist and led in some important areas of biochemistry especially related to the molecular structure of RNA, one of the important biological elements,” Midden said. “He made some important contributions in that field.”
Leontis’ work dealt with a very important but complex aspect of how cells function at the molecular level.
“People were not as aware as they could have been of his accomplishments in science. He didn’t call attention to himself in that regard,” Midden said. “He could be so vocal about the issues that related to his community but he wasn’t so vocal about recognition for himself.”
One of Leontis’ more recent interests was rapid testing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
“Recently we did talk quite a bit during the pandemic about the Health Department’s response, and he has some ideas,” said MIdden, who serves on the local board of health.
Like many, Midden admired Leontis’ courage.
“He was a boldly outspoken champion of progressive causes,” Midden said.
“He had a special style. He played an important role in our community calling attention to issues. He was so dedicated to efforts to help improve the community for everyone,” Midden said. “I’m hoping his passing may inspire others to step up and fill that void.”
Bonnie Mitchell, a professor of digital arts, had Leontis visit her class to talk about climate change, which was th focus of projects they were engaged in.’
“He came to my class and did a lecture on the science of climate change,” Mitchell recalls. “The week after a representative from Ohio Citizen Action Group came to campus and I mentioned that Neocles had come to talk the week before. The rep said he used to be a student of Neocles and he said he was ‘scarily smart’ – we laughed but it was true.
“I respected Neocles immensely because of his intelligence, his passion for changing the world to make it a better place and his endless energy.”
A statement from BGSU President Rodney Rogers noted that Leontis was held in high regard as a researcher and educator.
“During his time at BGSU, he mentored countless undergraduate and graduate students, including two who received the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, and was known for his innovative teaching and learning,” the statement read. “His colleagues and students remember him for his commitment to advancing the field of chemistry, but also as a kind individual who cared deeply about the success of students and enhancing the vibrancy of Bowling Green.”
Always learning
Many people in Leontis’ life – elected officials, educators, his pastor and this journalist – were accustomed to hearing from him in the middle of the night. At all hours, he would send texts or emails with links to stories in the New York Times or lectures on social justice, the environment and the coronavirus.
“The scope of his interests was amazing,” said Zanfardino, who would get an average of 25 texts a week from Leontis.
“A text would say, ‘Hi John, when you get a minute, watch this,’” with a link to a 90-minute lecture, Zanfardino said.
“I think Neocles woke up in the morning and read till he went to bed,” Zanfardino said of his encyclopedic friend. “I think he was truly brilliant.”
And Leontis wanted to share that knowledge – sure that others would do the right thing, take a bolder stand, once they had the information.
Champion for tough causes
Leontis had a soft spot for students, and was troubled by what he saw as unsafe rentals passed off as decent housing. He worked closely with Rose Hess on the East Side Residential Group.
“He was really a passionate soul. He was kind,” Hess said. “He cared about people so much, and he was so involved with students.”
If Hess told him a goal could not be accomplished – Leontis would reply that it could.
“He was a man of action,” she said. “Neocles’ death diminishes us.”
Though he could be tenacious, he was never bitter toward those who stood in his way, Hess said.
“I never heard him speak ill of someone. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body,” she said.
Leontis found his faith home at Peace Lutheran Church, with a congregation that shared his concerns about climate crises.
“We don’t see a conflict between science and faith” – so it worked for Leontis, said Pastor Deb Conklin. “I think Neocles was able to find hope here.”
“He was such a brilliant man and a wonderful scientist,” Conklin said. Those characteristics led to him being a “bit impatient” at times in his fight for the environment and social justice.
“The lack of commitment by church folk to the cause of justice made him crazy,” she said.
“I knew him as an explorer” of faith, she said. “He truly trusted we could achieve the common good – if we just tried.”
John Zanfardino recalled Leontis joining the Black Swamp Arts Festival recycling crew about three years ago. And like everything else, Leontis brought his energetic approach – covering shifts of up to eight hours a day collecting cardboard, glass and cans for recycling.
“True to his can-do approach, he wanted to expand into compostable plates and food composting,” Zanfardino remembered. “He accepted what was possible, and said we would work on the additional issues in coming years.”
A Neocles Leontis – Celebration of Life & Support Site has been set up. The link is: https://neocles.qiqochat.com/
