Pope

Leavitt Joseph Pope

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Leavitt Joseph Pope, who was active in archdiocesan organizations, died April 18 at his Scarsdale home. Mr. Pope, who was known as Lev, was 83. In 1948, he helped launch WPIX-TV, which was the first independent television station in New York and one of the first in the nation. He was president and chief executive officer of the station from 1975 to 1993, when he retired after a 45-year career in which he held top managerial and executive posts. He was a member of the Knights of Malta and also served on numerous Church and other public service boards and organizations. He was a trustee of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and was appointed treasurer of the trustees by Cardinal O'Connor. He also was a director of archdiocesan Instructional Television (ITV) and the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center and a trustee of the Daytop Foundation. Born in Brookline, Mass., he had a degree in business administration and electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After serving four years in the U.S. Army during World War II, he joined the Daily News, which soon launched WPIX on Ch. 11. He is survived by his wife, Martha, and 11 children. A Funeral Mass was offered April 21 at St. Pius X Church in Scarsdale, where Mr. Pope was a founding member some 50 years ago. Burial was in Holy Mount Cemetery, Eastchester.

Pope