Leonilda Altman Farrow, who earned degrees from Cornell University and MIT before embarking on a successful 30-year career as a theoretical physicist at Bell Labs, died May 31, 2023, in Red Bank. She was 94.
At a time when women in popular culture were generally depicted either as homemakers wearing pearls or spunky secretaries, Ms. Farrow researched small particle physics at the famed laboratory responsible for discovering conclusive evidence of the Big Bang theory. Ms. Farrow made significant contributions in her field and was highly respected both at Bell Labs and in the scientific community at large.
Ms. Farrow was born in New York City May 11, 1929, to Morris and Pauline Altman, who owned a small drug store in Manhattan. She graduated from Hunter Elementary School and Hunter College High School, then went on to Cornell University where she would obtain an engineering degree, followed by a Ph.D. in physics (on the effect of altitude on cosmic rays) from MIT. After earning her Ph.D., Ms. Farrow joined Bell Labs.
Ms. Farrow lived in the historic Monmouth Hills community for 60 years. She served as Monmouth Hills’ first woman president and in many other capacities. Ms. Farrow was particularly dedicated to preserving the history of Monmouth Hills and her work contributed significantly to the community being placed on both the New Jersey and national registers of historic places.
Among her numerous hobbies, Ms. Farrow was an avid knitter and a lover of opera who memorized the librettos of her favorites. She also preferred to build her own computers rather than buy them and friends would not be surprised to find her at home on hands and knees assembling a customized device from various separately purchased parts.
Friends said Ms. Farrow never met a lost dog or cat she did not attempt to rescue. At one time she and her husband Bill, an electrical engineer who also worked at Bell Labs, owned three dogs and five cats, all rescue animals, all of whom routinely shared the couch with the couple during TV watching.
Ms. Farrow is survived by her niece and nephew, Alexandra (Sandy) Altman of Manhattan and Jonathan Altman of Los Angeles. Her husband of 60 years, Cecil William Farrow, died in 2015. Ms. Farrow’s brother Eugene died in 2003. Ms. Farrow’s beloved 22-year-old cat Tuna now lives with Ms. Altman in Manhattan.
A memorial service will be held for Ms. Farrow at 2:30 p.m. July 9 at the Water Witch Club, Monmouth Hills, 43 West Twin Road, Highlands. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Monmouth County SPCA.
The article originally appeared in the June 15 – 21, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
