Stewart Greenleaf
- February 9, 2021
- 81 years
About Stewart Greenleaf
Stewart Greenleaf, 81, American politician, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1977–1978) and Senate (1979–2019).
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Full Biography
|Stewart John Greenleaf Sr. (October 4, 1939 – February 9, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1979 to 2019. Greenleaf represented the 12th District, which includes portions of eastern Montgomery County and southern Bucks County.
Early life and education
Greenleaf is a 1961 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and received his J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law.
Career
He served as an assistant district attorney in Montgomery County from 1970 to 1977 and as an assistant public defender in Bucks County.
In 1971, Greenleaf was elected as a Commissioner for his hometown of Upper Moreland Township, Pennsylvania. After one term, Greenleaf was elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1976. He served a single term in the house before winning his bid for the State Senate in 1978. He was reelected seven times.
Greenleaf considered a run for U.S. Congress in 1993, briefly forming an exploratory committee to challenge Marjorie Margolies. However, he dropped out before the county endorsement convention. In 2000, Greenleaf ran for Congress against incumbent Joe Hoeffel. Greenleaf had represented much of the eastern portion of the congressional district for almost a quarter-century. Ultimately, Hoeffel won the race with nearly 53% of the vote to Greenleaf's 46%. Greenleaf did not have to give up his state senate seat to run for Congress; Pennsylvania state senators serve staggered four-year terms, and Greenleaf was not up for reelection until 2002.
In his last term, Greenleaf was Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and served on the Appropriations, Banking & Insurance, Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure and Environmental Resources & Energy Committees.
Greenleaf chose not to run for re-election in 2018. He endorsed his son, former Montgomery County controller Stewart Greenleaf Jr., as his successor. However, Stewart Jr. was defeated by Democratic challenger Maria Collett.
Greenleaf continued to serve as a partner in his law firm, Elliott Greenleaf, whose attorneys include Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor and former State Rep. Melissa Murphy Weber.
2012 presidential election
Greenleaf signed up to be on the presidential ballot for the Republican Party's New Hampshire primary. He explained that he did so to focus the debate of the election on the balancing of the federal budget. He filed with the FEC on December 29, and received a total of 24 votes in the primary, 21st place amongst ballot candidates. He won four write-in votes in the Democratic primary, all of which he received in Canaan. Including other write-ins, this tied him with Mitt Romney for third place in the town, behind only Barack Obama and Ron Paul.
Death
Greenleaf died at Holy Redeemer Hospital in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, on February 9, 2021, at age 81.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewart_Greenleaf
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Stewart Greenleaf's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Stewart John Greenleaf Sr. born?
- A.October 4, 1939correct
- B.December 29, 1938
- C.February 9, 2021
- D.January 9, 1941
Stewart John Greenleaf Sr. was born on October 4, 1939.
Source: Biography introduction
2.From which university did Stewart Greenleaf graduate in 1961?
- A.Pennsylvania State University
- B.University of Pittsburgh
- C.University of Pennsylvaniacorrect
- D.University of Toledo
Stewart Greenleaf is a 1961 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
Source: Early life and education section
3.Where did Stewart Greenleaf die in 2021?
- A.A private law office in Philadelphia
- B.A research facility in Bucks County
- C.Holy Redeemer Hospitalcorrect
- D.His home in Upper Moreland Township
Stewart Greenleaf died at Holy Redeemer Hospital in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, on February 9, 2021.
Source: Death section
4.What position did Stewart Greenleaf hold in Upper Moreland Township in 1971?
- A.Public Defender
- B.District Attorney
- C.Mayor
- D.Commissionercorrect
In 1971, Stewart Greenleaf was elected as a Commissioner for his hometown of Upper Moreland Township, Pennsylvania.
Source: Career section
5.In which county did Stewart Greenleaf serve as an assistant district attorney from 1970 to 1977?
- A.Berks County
- B.Montgomery Countycorrect
- C.Bucks County
- D.Philadelphia County
Stewart Greenleaf served as an assistant district attorney in Montgomery County from 1970 to 1977.
Source: Career section
6.Which of these committees did Stewart Greenleaf chair during his last term in the Senate?
- A.Banking & Insurance Committee
- B.Senate Judiciary Committeecorrect
- C.Appropriations Committee
- D.Environmental Resources & Energy Committee
In his last term, Stewart Greenleaf was Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Source: Career section
7.Who defeated Stewart Greenleaf's son in the bid to succeed his father in the State Senate?
- A.Bruce Castor
- B.Marjorie Margolies
- C.Joe Hoeffel
- D.Maria Collettcorrect
Stewart Greenleaf Jr. was defeated by Democratic challenger Maria Collett in the bid to succeed his father.
Source: Career section
8.How many votes did Stewart Greenleaf receive in the 2012 Republican New Hampshire primary?
- A.4
- B.24correct
- C.46
- D.21
Stewart Greenleaf filed with the FEC and received a total of 24 votes in the 2012 New Hampshire primary.
Source: 2012 presidential election section
9.What percentage of the vote did Joe Hoeffel receive in the 2000 congressional race against Stewart Greenleaf?
- A.48%
- B.53%correct
- C.46%
- D.51%
Joe Hoeffel won the 2000 congressional race with nearly 53% of the vote to Stewart Greenleaf's 46%.
Source: Career section
10.Where did Stewart Greenleaf receive his J.D. degree?
- A.Temple University
- B.University of Pennsylvania
- C.University of Toledo College of Lawcorrect
- D.Villanova University
Stewart Greenleaf received his J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law.
Source: Early life and education section
11.Who does Stewart Greenleaf's law firm, Elliott Greenleaf, count among its current or past attorneys?
- A.Bruce Castorcorrect
- B.Joe Hoeffel
- C.Maria Collett
- D.Marjorie Margolies
Stewart Greenleaf was a partner at Elliott Greenleaf, where attorneys include Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor.
Source: Career section
12.In which town did Stewart Greenleaf receive four write-in votes during the 2012 Democratic presidential primary?
- A.Upper Moreland
- B.Montgomery
- C.Canaancorrect
- D.Bucks
Stewart Greenleaf won four write-in votes in the Democratic primary, all of which he received in Canaan.
Source: 2012 presidential election section
13.For what stated purpose did Stewart Greenleaf run in the 2012 presidential primary?
- A.To balance the federal budgetcorrect
- B.To oppose Barack Obama
- C.To support Mitt Romney
- D.To win the nomination
Stewart Greenleaf explained that he joined the ballot to focus the debate of the election on the balancing of the federal budget.
Source: 2012 presidential election section
14.In what year did Stewart Greenleaf first win a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives?
- A.1970
- B.1979
- C.1976correct
- D.1978
Stewart Greenleaf was elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1976.
Source: Career section
15.How many times was Stewart Greenleaf reelected to the Pennsylvania State Senate?
- A.Sevencorrect
- B.Eight
- C.Ten
- D.Five
After winning his bid for the State Senate in 1978, Stewart Greenleaf was reelected seven times.
Source: Career section
16.Which candidate did Stewart Greenleaf briefly form an exploratory committee to challenge for Congress in 1993?
- A.Maria Collett
- B.Joe Hoeffel
- C.Marjorie Margoliescorrect
- D.Bruce Castor
Stewart Greenleaf briefly formed an exploratory committee to challenge Marjorie Margolies for Congress in 1993.
Source: Career section
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