Foundation Today
Ethan Bush | 1/18/2005 The Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation (KAOEF) received two early holiday gifts thanks to the generosity of Mr. Harry J. Breithaupt, Jr. and Mr. Edward P. Leslie, Jr.As we approach the holiday season and the end of the calendar year, excitement and cooler temperatures are beginning to fill the air. When most people think of the holidays, they think of family, their faith and providing gifts for people and organizations that are important to them.
The Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation (KAOEF) received two early holiday gifts thanks to the generosity of Mr. Harry J. Breithaupt, Jr. (Beta Rho ‘33) and Mr. Edward P. Leslie, Jr. (Beta Xi ‘32) this fall. Both gentlemen were members of The 1865 Trust and long-time supporters of the KAOEF.
The Harry J. Breithaupt, Jr. Charitable Remainder Trust provided the KAOEF with a restricted gift of $997,646.29; the largest single gift ever received for the purpose of enhancing the KAOEF scholarship endowment. This gift also makes Brother Breithaupt the largest cumulative donor in KAOEF history.
A gift from the Edward P. Leslie, Jr., Trust also matured this fall. Brother Leslie’s unrestricted gift of $799,821.49 is the third largest gift in KAOEF history and will provide the flexibility for the KAOEF to support all educational and leadership training provided for undergraduate members each year.
This Foundation Today article is dedicated to both their memories and hopefully, it will provide a snapshot of the lives they both led. These men have helped to further strengthen the KAOEF and in turn, provided necessary funds to enhance the lives of undergraduate members for years to come. Their vision, dedication, and spirit of giving should be an inspiration to members of Kappa Alpha Order, both undergraduate and alumni alike.
Harry J. Breithaupt, Jr.
Born on June 25, 1916, in Salem, Va., Harry J. Breithaupt, Jr., was the first child of Harry James and Nannie Dematris Breithaupt. In 1931, Harry entered Roanoke College in Salem and graduated in 1935 with a of bachelor of arts degree (in political science), with honors. During his four years at Roanoke College, Harry was active in athletics, was editor-in-chief of the yearbook, became a member of Blue Key Society, and joined Kappa Alpha Order where he later was elected to Number I. In 1935, he entered Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., and graduated in 1936 with the degree of Master of Arts (English), with honors. In 1937, Harry entered law school at George Washington University and graduated in 1941 with a Juris Doctor, with distinction, finishing fifth in his class.
In 1941, he left Washington, D.C., to accept appointment as an attorney with the Chicago Ordinance District, War Department, in connection with the War-Procurement program before Harry enlisted with the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1942. Harry was detached from his Section Base in Savannah, Ga., in 1944 and was ordered to the USS California in the Pacific. As part of the crew he participated in the pre-invasion bombardment of Leyte and in the initial invasion of the Philippines.
On January 6, 1945, Harry was injured when a Japanese Kamikaze pilot successfully crashed his plane into the USS California. April 1, 1947, he was honorably retired as Lieutenant U.S.N.R. and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon (two stars).
Mr. Breithaupt was a member of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Bar, the American Bar Association, the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Bar Association. He served for a number of years as chairman of the Committee on Interstate Commerce Commission of the Administrative Law Section of the American Bar Association. During the years immediately following World War II, Harry engaged in general law practice in the District of Columbia, and, in 1950, he was appointed as an attorney in the Law Department of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) in Washington.
In 1952, Harry was appointed Assistant General Solicitor of AAR and went on to later become General Counsel, Vice President and retired as Vice President-Law in 1981.
In retirement, he was a professonal lecturer at American University and from time to time he also lectured for the Bar Review Institute and for the Railroad Management Institute at American University. Harry died of natural causes on November 2, 1998, at Virginia Beach, Va., and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery will full military honors.
Edward P. Leslie, Jr.
Born on November 2, 1911, in Little Rock, Ark., Edward P. Leslie, Jr., was one of four children born to Florence Dice and Edward P. Leslie, Sr. His family moved to Oklahoma City when he was four years old.
In 1928, he graduated from high school and attended Oklahoma A&M University (now Oklahoma State University) in Stillwater, Okla., where he joined Kappa Alpha Order and majored in business. Ed was an avid Oklahoma State University sports fan and long-time supporter. Mr. Leslie was married to Norma Fitts in 1940, and the only time they were separated during more than 60 years of marriage was during Ed’s service to his country in the U.S. Air Force during World War II when he was stationed in India. He again saw active duty during the Korean War and rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel.
Ed contracted with Mutual of New York (MONY) on May 1, 1936, and his association with MONY was life long except during his Air Force service. Following his military service, Ed returned to MONY and Oklahoma City where he spent a lifetime making friends and selling insurance. He never met a stranger, which made Ed successful in his career and his personal life.
In 1970, he was inducted in the MONY Hall of Fame. He was also honored in 19 Top Clubs, 4 Summit Clubs, 6 President’s Councils and 14 Field Clubs. Rotary was an extremely important part of Ed’s life. He joined Rotary in 1939 and had more than 61 years of perfect attendance at meetings of Club 29. This feat was a source of great pride for Ed and was a testimony to his loyalty to Rotary and its mission.
Brother Leslie was highly active in civic organizations until his death. He served on the Advisory Board of Directors for the Oklahoma City Area Command of the Salvation Army; he was a member of the Men’s Dinner Club and the Nichols Hills United Methodist Church. Ed passed away on February 5, 2002, after a brief illness; he was 91 years of age.
For the benefit of the Order
The planned gifts of Brothers Breithaupt and Leslie provide new opportunities for the KAOEF to further support our undergraduate members immediately. Whether it is a scholarship or part of a grant to support the Order’s educational programs, these gifts help the KAOEF continue its mission of “raising funds for the benefit of the Order.”
In that true holiday spirit of giving and receiving, these men gave to support undergraduate members because of the KA experience they had many years earlier at Roanoke College and Oklahoma State University. These men were truly brothers faithful until death, and their gifts will long survive them.
If you would like more information on how to incorporate KA in to your estate plans, please contact Larry S. Wiese (lswiese@ka-order.org) or Ethan Bush (ebush@ka-order.org) at 800-526-1865.
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