The Electronic Products family lost one of its most admired and well respected staff members last month — Leonard Schiefer, the publication’s former Chief Copy Editor (since 1987), who was formally named its Managing Editor in 2014, has passed away at the age of 63.
He is survived by his wife Linda, their children Andrew and Abigail, and 5 grandchildren — Matthew, Julie, Lizzie, Maria, and Evelyn.
To remember Lenny, and to also pay tribute the significant influence he had on all of us, the editorial department has compiled personal recollections in hopes of providing a true-to-life portrait of everyone’s favorite coworker.
Paul O’Shea — A tribute to the man : I met Lenny at Electronic Products Magazine in 2007 and my life has been better for it. We shared many of the same life events, growing up in the same era and same area. Lenny had that ability to find common ground with everyone he met, so our connection wasn’t all that rare for him but it made me feel special. He could have been an excellent politician but we were lucky to have him as the overseer of language, the perfectionist of style. He molded the Magazine into a professionally elite book and did it for more than 30 years, leaving an indelible imprint of his expertise. More than that, Lenny had a very rare and precious gift to intently listen to agitated people (and they came at him from all directions) grouse about some difficulty, and then help them find a solution that worked best for everyone. He was the office politician (I mean that in the best way) who could bring people together even in the most difficult circumstances. The World is a better place because of you, Lenny and I will miss you and all our varied conversations. Your friend and colleague, Paul O’Shea
Nicole DiGiose — My favorite grammar-nerd :
There were many early mornings when Len and I would be the only ones in the office, as we were both “early birds” and preferred to work when it was quiet. Because Len’s door was always open, the light from his room would illuminate the dim hall, and I knew he was in there, eating his bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, clicking through his emails or catching up on his turn in online Scrabble before the work day began. After hanging my jacket on the back of the chair in my cubicle, I’d lean against his office door, or sit in the chair on the other side of his desk to chat about the origin of words, anything history related (especially baseball), or about our families. Len was proud of his family — his wife, his two children, and five grandchildren, and spoke about them often. Photos of them were tacked to his walls and displayed on his computer’s desktop background.
Anyone who knew Len would know that when he spoke about something he was passionate about, he’d become animated and a big smile would spread across his face. His hands flew all over the place when he spoke, and sometimes he’d repeat stories, almost the same exact way with the same exact motions, which I always found humorous. I’d listen anyway. When he stopped doing that, I knew something was wrong.
Though I’ve only known Len for about three years, I can honestly say that not only has he made a big impact on my career, but in my personal life as well. He truly had a way with words, and he taught me more about the English language than I’ve learned in any of my college classes. He’d sit with me and go over why he made certain edits to an article, and he wouldn’t stop talking until he was convinced that I understood. He also showed me how to be patient and how to laugh off certain mishaps in the workplace that would bother me. He cared so much about his job, and about the people that made up his work family. On the days I was feeling sick but wandered into the office anyway, I’d find packets of Emergen-C waiting for me on my keyboard, and I knew exactly who put them there.
Every day Len brought his strong work ethic, along with his humor and knowledge that could fill books. He was one of the rare few people I’ve met who was both professional and personal in the workplace, and I think that’s why he was so successful and respected.
If somehow Len is reading this from a much better place, I hope he’s happy with everyone’s grammar, and I hope he knows that he touched everyone’s lives for the better. Rest peacefully, my favorite grammar-nerd.
Richard Comerford — Remembering Lenny :
When I met Len Schiefer in August 2004, it seemed like we had known each other for a long time. Lenny had worked with so many of the editors who had taught me the tech writing business — Margaret Eastman, Ben Mason, and Al Rosenblatt, to name a few —that when we discussed writing, it felt like we were coming from the same place. Like most good writers, he respected “The Elements of Style” by Strunk & White, but he also shared with me another of his favorites, “The Elephants of Style” by Bill Walsh, and we both enjoyed “Eats, Shoots & Leaves” by Lynne Truss. Len’s love of words was evident in everything he did, from his shaping and writing of articles in Electronic Products, to the intense games of Scrabble he so enjoyed.
After working with Len for a while, one thing you didn’t notice about him was his handicaps. He had been born with problems that affected his brain and motor controls; he walked with a limp and one arm was partially paralyzed. He used to joke about having only “half a mind” to do something, because literally only half his brain was functioning. None of these things held Lenny back from doing what he wanted, and when we had summer company picnics, Lenny was one of the best hitters and fielders in the ad hoc baseball game we played.
For several years I used to drive Lenny home from work, and he made it his job to make sure I was never bored. At Lenny’s urging, we discussed many things, coming at them from very different perspectives: I as an agnostic and he as a devout Christian. As you can imagine, the discussions on those rides home could become quite heated. But despite our differences, we never lost mutual respect for each other’s observations. Len’s sincerity and knowledge made it impossible to disparage his viewpoint.
One of the topics Lenny would frequently hold forth on during those rides was American History. He was a font of knowledge on the topic, aware of many obscure facts about historical figures. It was that knowledge which led him to create a series of articles about American Presidents and technology. The articles, which first appeared on Electronic Products’ website, continue to make fascinating reading.
Another of his favorite topics was his family. On our rides, Len would tell me what his son and daughter and their spouses and his grand children were up to, and what he and Linda were planning for the week or weekend. It was obvious that he was as intensely devoted to them as he was to his religious beliefs, and I remember how he would smile when he discussed either.
The news of Lenny’s passing came as a shock to everyone he knew. We all were aware that Lenny had cancer. (Something else I shared with him. I remember Lenny jokingly telling me, not long after his diagnosis, “Guess what? Now two people on staff have cancer.”) But we all knew how much of a fighter Lenny was and how many obstacles he had overcome, so none of us expected he wouldn’t overcome this one.
Few men have left the world a better place for their having been in it, and Lenny was one of the few.
Yolanda Sutherland — A tribute to Lenny : “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy” – that was Lenny’s infamous phrase. I loved it every time he said it. It made my day! His humor and wonderful demeanor carried throughout the entire day. Since the day I started working at Hearst, I knew Lenny was a special person. He was a dedicated, hard worker. You could ask Lenny anything. He was a walking dictionary with a passion for Scrabble. I secretly wanted to play Scrabble with Lenny, but knew there was no way I was going to win. His vocabulary was off the charts!
His knowledge was amazing and if you wanted to know anything about our presidents, he was your go-to-guy. It was unbelievable.
We lost a true friend with a heart of gold. His family meant everything to him and was so proud of them. I am so honored that I had the opportunity to work with such a special person. I dedicate this poem to his memory:
Memories and Peace – Gloria Matthew
Why smile in such sadness?
It's because of the memories
Of laughter shared in the past.
The humor of life, the fun and the joy,
The reminiscences certain to last.
Why relief in such sadness?
It's because there is peace
With no more chance of pain
No one can hurt, nor take away
There will never be fear again.
You will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.
Max Teodorescu — 15 fun facts about Lenny Schiefer, Electronic Product’s late chief copy editor :
1. Lenny Schiefer was the first grammar nerd that I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting — I hadn’t even known they existed until then.
2. Lenny Schiefer engaged in social media before “engagement” became a thing, spending hours debating the intricacies of North American grammar styles.
3. Lenny Schiefer’s encyclopedic knowledge of American history could foresee emerging patterns in contemporary American politics; political analysis would’ve been his alternative career choice.
4. Lenny Schiefer taught me that Ronald Reagan popularized the blue dress shirt.
5. Lenny Schiefer didn’t see scrabble as a form of procrastination, but as mental exercise.
6. Lenny Schiefer was so happy with life, that he didn’t mind the daily two hour bus rides to and fro work as they gave him an opportunity to read or play Sudoku undisturbed.
7. Lenny Schiefer was the first person I met who wasn’t particularly thrilled about weekends, for his were full of “even more errands.”
8. Lenny Schiefer's full name was Arthur Leonard Schiefer — yes, “Lenny” is a nickname derived from his middle name.
9. Lenny Schiefer printed everything, just in case he needed a physical copy
10. Lenny Schiefer retired after working at Electronic Products for 30 years; he was amongst its longest employed persons.
11. Lenny Schiefer preferred walking up to your desk for a real conversation, rather than settling for emails and instant messages.
12. Lenny Schiefer indoctrinated most of us with his grammatical quirks.
13. Lenny Schiefer had a shelf full of dictionaries and style manuals — he also devised the EP style manual.
14. Lenny Schiefer loathed the words “utilize” and “nice,” for few words can capture such heightened levels of malarkey.
15. Lenny Schiefer gave me his 1974 copy of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style ; I hold it dear.
Estelle Zagaria — Tribute to Lenny Scheifer : Lenny Scheifer is the best Managing Editor I have a had the pleasure to work with on the Electronic Products Magazine. As I am the production designer, responsible for layout and Lenny was responsible for content, as the ME, we were often at odds with each other. At times he would send me back to the “drawing board” to accommodate a must get in article with one of his favorite quotes, “It will be fun for you!”. Although, no matter how difficult the situation, our working relationship never suffered. Lenny was always willing to work with and solve any challenge that should arise, together. I even tried to make Lenny our host celebrity one month. Unfortunately, the art didn’t make it into the article.
Len and I had many things in common. We were born the same year and were hired by our employer around the same time, 1985. In between editorial conflicts, we talked of many shared memories, childhood experiences and family news. In short, we became friends. I got to know Lenny as a kind and generous person. Lenny was an aficionado of presidential history, liked to watch re-runs of Car 54, where are you? and some people might call him a grammar Nazi. He adored his wife, Linda, was proud and worried over his adult children Abagail and Andrew, and enjoyed his 5 grandchildren with great humor. I have to say, I feel I got know and like them through Len’s generous sharing.
What I liked best about Len and will miss the most is that he knew how to bring out the best in the people around him by giving his best. And this included me. I will try to honor his memory by hopefully emulating his example.
Miss you, Len.
Jim Harrison — Working with Lenny : I had the pleasure of working with Len Schiefer for the past 11 years, and I really do miss him. Lenny, as Chief Copy Editor, was the focal point of our operations and as such was semi-constantly harassed by us editors, management, the sales team, customers, the art department, and probably some folks some I can’t think of right now.
Boy, what a tough job sometimes. Caught in the middle between all of us, he was always gracious, understanding, helpful, and determined to get the best quality we could possible achieve. And with all of that, he managed to be very genuine at the same time. He was trusted by all of us.
Jeffrey Bausch — Contagious enthusiasm : When I came to Electronic Products in 2011, I was at a very different point in my career. Up until I walked in those doors, I was a marketing professional, someone who was only interested in writing what could sell. Needless to say, I was worn, and the work I produced didn’t mean much to me unless there was a dollar sign attached to it.
Meeting Lenny was like a breath of fresh air in my career. He not only taught me how to write better from a grammatical standpoint, he taught me how to take greater pride in the words I put on paper. Writing under his tutelage reignited my passion for writing, something I had not felt since my days at University. He recognized this and addressed it with encouragement as well as a bit of direction, so that I was not driving my career blindly but rather, with a sense of purpose.
I was fortunate enough to share office walls with Lenny, so there were many days that I had the pleasure of enjoying casual conversation with him. The more I got to know him personally, the more I appreciated him not just as my coworker, but as the man he had become. He overcame so much in his life to build a beautiful family and establish an admirable career, and I believe it’s all because he approached each day with purpose, direction, and a level of enthusiasm that can only be described as contagious.
Jennifer Korszun — Electronic Products' Word of the Week by chief copy editor Lenny Schiefer was his own personal column where he reflected on his passion for words and educated our audience with a newly trending word on a weekly basis. In honor of his passing, I would like to dedicate my own “Word(s) of the Week” to Lenny’s remembrance.
Internet of Things (IoT) :
It’s a rising term we see in the tech world almost daily. The Internet of Things refers to the interconnection via the Internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data (Oxford Dictionary). Things connected to this term can range from wearable technology such as the Apple Watch, refrigerators that connect to your smartphone, a self-programming thermostat, and smart sports equipment that measures performance.
A few years back, the term IoT may have seemed far-reaching. Many thought a self-driving car and drones that can deliver supplies would be inconceivable, but the technological advancements speak for themselves. We continue to see everyday objects embedded with technology that allow them to connect with the Internet. By 2020, we could see more IoT devices than there are people. Now that’s unthinkable…
For more from Lenny’s column, check out:
Teleportation
Nanobiocomposite
Cyberespionage
Biometrics
You can read Lenny’s other work by going to his author profile.
We all miss you, Lenny .
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