Leon Hartvickson passed away peacefully on August 15th, 2026 at the age of 79, with family by his side.
Leon was born and raised in Turlock, California, as the 4th of 7 children. Blessed with a sharp mind and tremendous work ethic, Leon was Turlock High's Senior Class President and co–captain of its football, basketball, and baseball teams his senior year. He served as the honorary Mayor of Turlock for a day in 1964.
After high school, Leon attended Stanford University on a football scholarship. He thrived at Stanford, majoring in architecture while playing varsity football and rugby. Leon was a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, where he made many lifelong friends.
Leon met his wife of 57 years, Barbara Ann Neilson, in the then–new undergraduate library, during his junior year. They were married at the Stanford Memorial Chapel in 1969, and enjoyed a wonderful life together.
Leon returned to Stanford, earning a master's degree in architecture ('70), and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business ('74). Leon and Barbara then moved to Portland, Oregon, where he worked in commercial and industrial real estate development with PacTrust for 35 years.
For all of his accomplishments, his true passion and devotion was his family. In Portland, he and Barbara raised two children, and were very involved with their kids' schools and athletics. Over the course of their marriage, he used his architectural skills to design and build three homes for themselves in Oregon and a cottage in Carmel, California.
Leon enjoyed fishing and barbecuing, and cultivated beautiful landscaping around the family homes.
In his later years, Leon loved morning walks through the streets of Carmel, and pausing to share a kind word or bit of banter with locals, vendors, and visitors alike. He always wanted to give you something, be it help, a joke, a laugh, or a smile.
A remarkable man who will be cherished and missed by many, Leon is survived by his wife of 57 years, Barbara, his brothers Elvern Hartvickson (Emily) and Gary Hartvickson (Donna), his sisters Lana Lopes (Allen) and Norma Cederlind (Kevin), his son Hans Hartvickson and Hans' wife Jennifer, his daughter Haley Barrile and Haley's husband Parker, five adoring grandchildren; Anderson and Annabelle Barrile, and Annika, Karsten and Aksel Hartvickson, and many nieces, nephews, and others from his large and loving family. He was preceded in death by his brothers Howard and Norman Hartvickson, and his parents Verdeen and Eleanor Hartvickson.
Internment in Monterey, California will be private.
