Three Generations, three UW Grads, all three Phi Beta Kappa

On his 95th birthday Leo Bloch was pleased to learn that his granddaughter, Hannah Richards, was to be inducted into Washington Alpha Chapter, Phi Beta Kappa, making his a three- generation Phi Beta Kappa family.   His daughter, Nanci Richards has served as treasurer of the Puget Sound Association.

• Leo Bloch graduated from the UW with a B.A. in Political Science in 1932 at the age of 18.  He went on to get a J.D. at the U.W. in 1935--with a 4.0 average.  He is still active in the business his father founded, Bloch Steel Industries.
• Daughter Nanci Richards graduated in 1975 with a B.A. in Business (Accounting) at age 21.  She is currently the Director of Finance at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska, a position she has held for the past seven years.
• Hannah Richards is on track to graduate “with college honors” with a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology this June, at age 20.  She has been accepted, at this writing, to the University of Cambridge to study for her PhD in Clinical Biochemistry, but is still waiting to hear from other universities.

When Nanci asked her Dad to share his thoughts about Phi Beta Kappa, he said that PBK represented the well rounded, thoughtful individual and membership could only be obtained by someone with intelligence and good work ethic.  These traits helped him to achieve a happy life, with excellent family relationships and a successful business.  He has had the opportunity to help others and feels extremely fortunate to have been able to pass on his genes to his descendents.  He is very proud to have a third generation PBK in the family.  It was a wonderful gift to get the news on his 95th birthday!