Leonard H. Lockhart Sr.

Longtime Cecil County resident Leonard H. Lockhart, Sr. died at his home on Monday February 27, 2012.

Born in Frankfort, Illinois on February 26, 1927, Lockhart was the 6th of 8 children. Raised in Dunlap, Tennessee where his father was a coal miner, Leonard enlisted in the United States Army in 1944 at age 18 and was stationed at Aberdeen Proving Ground where he met his wife of 65 years, Kathleen Pender.

After leaving the Army, Lockhart attended the University of Baltimore on the GI Bill where he earned his A.A. degree in 1953 and his J.D. from the UB School of Law in 1955. He was a member of the Sigma Delta Kappa legal fraternity and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in July, 1955.

Upon graduation, Leonard returned to the upper Eastern Shore to begin what was a 45 year legal career. He and longtime friend Walter Baker formed the law firm of Baker and Lockhart in Elkton, MD. In addition to his firm’s work, Lockhart was appointed by Governor Millard Tawes as the Chief Magistrate in Cecil County and remained in that position until the creation of the Maryland District Court System.

Lockhart was politically active his entire adult life and was President of the Young Democrats of Maryland from 1959-1960. He unsuccessfully ran for the Maryland State Senate in the 1960’s losing to future Governor Harry Hughes. He was an alternate Kennedy Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1960 and attended the Presidential inauguration and ball in 1961.

A member of the American Legion, Lockhart was an original member of Chantilly Manor Country Club. He was a board member and former Chairman at the National Bank of Rising Sun. Mr. Lockhart was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 28 years. He sponsored and helped countless alcoholics and their families.

He is survived by his wife and his children Jeanette Lockhart Cole, Kathy Lockhart, and former Cecil County Commissioner Brian Lockhart. His son, Leonard H. Lockhart, Jr. died in 2006. He is also survived by his brother Joe Haney Lockhart and predeceased by his other siblings. In addition to his children, Lockhart is survived by six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. His oldest grandchild, William H. Cole, IV, is a member of the Baltimore City Council and a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 150 S. Queen St., Rising Sun, MD 21911 on Friday March 2, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be private at a later date.