IN MEMORIAM
We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of John Todd. We have lost one of our giants in the environmental health profession, but his legacy of excellence, leadership, and ser- vice lives on in all who knew him and all that strive to follow in his footsteps. He will be greatly missed. Source: Legacy (https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/retired- admiral-dr-john-todd-obituary?pid=208496469); Walter F. Snyder Award brochure courtesy of Michéle Samarya-Timm, NEHA. Photo courtesy of Charles Otto. Delmer Matasovsky Delmer (Del) Matasovsky of Plymouth, Minnesota, passed away on June 16, 2024. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor of science degree in dairy industries and received his mas- ter’s degree in public health from the University of Minnesota. He worked for the City of Minneapolis as a health inspector for 36 years. Matasovsky was a dedicated member of both the Minnesota Environmental Health Association (MEHA) and NEHA. He was part of a committee of MEHA members that assisted in the plan- ning of the NEHA 1975 AEC held in Minneapolis. He also served two terms as Region 4 vice-president for NEHA from 1977–1983. In 1978, then President Paul Talo¡ mentioned in his Journal col- umn that NEHA was taking a new approach and would be provid- ing assistance to Region 4 to create a regional educational meeting. Talo¡ goes on to commend Matasovsky for being part of the group that was working on this project, which still exists almost 50 years later as the NEHA Region 4 Conference. We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Del Matasovsky. The work he did for his community, MEHA, and NEHA has had a lasting impact. He will be greatly missed. Source: The Minnesota Star Tribune (https://obituaries.startribune. com/obituary/delmer-matasovsky-1090262097/?proxy=original).
Throughout his career, Vinci held leadership roles in local and county public health departments across Connecticut, Nebraska, and Kansas. His commitment to environmental health led him to participate in various national and international com- mittees and task forces. Leon also taught at several universities, including Drexel University, Yale University, and the University of Nebraska. He was also a Diplomate of the American Academy of Sanitarians. Vinci received the A. Clark Slaymaker Honor in 2020 from the Virginia Environmental Health Association (VEHA). The award recognized his outstanding contributions to the environmental health profession and programs across Virginia. Sandy Stone- man, VEHA president in 2020, commented, “Leon’s contribu- tions and expertise have greatly benefited the profession. He has made a di¡erence through his service on the VEHA board and to the field of environmental and public health.” Vinci was an active member of VEHA for more than 5 decades, from serving as secretary/treasurer in the late 1970s to being appointed as a delegate-at-large in 2025. Vinci was also highly active in NEHA. He became a member in 1974 and served two terms as Region 9 vice-president from 1980–1986. His passion for climate and health led him to serve on NEHA’s Climate and Health Committee, where he was an ecoAmerica Climate Ambassador and was recognized as a Climate and Health Leader by ecoAmerica. Vinci also channeled his energy into chairing the NEHA History Project Task Force from 2022– 2025. Further, he was a generous donor to both the NEHA Endow- ment Foundation and the NEHA/AAS Scholarship Fund. And he was a familiar face and presenter at NEHA AECs for decades. In his spare time, Vince was a huge fan of road trips, food, and sports. He frequently combined all three during weekend trips with his children from Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New York City, and the Midwest. You could catch him in his silver Jeep on the highway listening to his favorite Woodstock tunes, excited for his next adventure. We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Leon Vinci. His passion and enthusiasm for the environmental health profession were boundless over the half century that he dedicated to environmental health. He will be greatly missed. Source: Legacy (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/wfsb/name/ leon-vinci-obituary?id=58589426). Photo courtesy of Blake Latio- lais, B1 Studio LLC. Editor’s Note: If you would like to share information about the passing of an environmental public health professional to be mentioned in a future In Memoriam, please contact Kristen Ruby-Cisneros at kruby@neha.org. The Journal will publish the In Memoriam section twice a year in the June and December issues, or in other issues as determined appropriate.
Leon Vinci Leon Vinci, MPH, DHA, RS, DAAS, passed away on April 18, 2025, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Vinci was a distinguished figure in environmental public health who had dedicated more than three decades to advancing community well-being and public health pre- paredness across the U.S., as well as being active in the profession for more than 50 years. Born and raised in Middletown, Connecticut, he earned his bachelor’s degree from
Wesleyan University, followed by a master of public health from the Yale School of Public Health. He later achieved a doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina.
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July/August 2025 • Journal of Environmental Health
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