Robert E. Leggett

Robert Leggett, 80, of Vienna, an analyst and senior executive at the Central Intelligence Agency, died Sunday at Fairfax Hospital. He was born in Nanticoke, Pa, son of the late Lester and Faith Leggett. His brother, George, died in 2020. He was president of his class at Catasauqua High School in Pennsylvania. He was a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, where he was vice president of his class, broke the basketball scoring record and pitched the only no-hitter in Academy history. He was inducted into the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991 and recognized as the “Distinguished Alumnus” at his 50th reunion in 2013. His third assignment as a Coast Guard officer was serving as commanding officer of an 82’ Coast Guard Cutter as part of Operation Market Time in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V.

Following his service in Vietnam, Bob enrolled at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA where he received a Ph.D. in Economics. While he was pursuing his graduate degrees, he coached basketball at Lehigh University and taught Economics at Lehigh and Lafayette College. His work at the CIA initially focused on the economy and military capability of the Soviet Union. He went on to serve as the Liaison Officer of Congressional Affairs, Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Global and Multilateral Issues and Academic Coordinator. Following his retirement from the CIA, he worked at consulting firms as a program manager and consultant to the intelligence community and law enforcement agencies.

Bob coached and managed many Vienna Little League and Vienna and McLean Youth Basketball teams in Virginia. He was currently serving as chairman of the Vienna Business Liaison Committee.

He was married to Carol (Burkholder) Leggett for 57 years. She was employed by The Washington Post for 38 years and was executive assistant to Ben Bradlee for 25 of those years. Their son, Greg Leggett, 53, died two months ago. He is survived by their daughter, Beth of Gettysburg, and son, Chris of Vienna and three grandchildren—Tucker, Ella and Greysen. He was a brother-in-law to Drs. Tom and Judy McDonald Burkholder.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Vienna Presbyterian Church, followed by a reception at Westwood Country Club in Vienna. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bob’s memory to the Bob Leggett Memorial Fund, 127 Center Street, South, Vienna, VA 22180, Please Make checks payable to the Town of Vienna or donations online at www.viennava.gov/LeggettMemorial All donations are to be contributed to projects of special interest to Bob in the town of Vienna.