Leslie Raymond Partiss, Jr.

Leslie Raymond Partiss, Jr. known fondly by his friends as “Mr. Les” passed away on December 21, 2019. He was born on July 12, 1931 in Waterbury, Connecticut to the late Eleanor Rose and Leslie Raymond Partiss, Sr.

In the late 1940’s he organized and led “The Les Partiss Orchestra”, a big band that played in the New England area. In 1949, he enlisted in the United States Army and served during the Korean War. After his discharge from the Army, Les was employed by the National Security Administration in various operational positions. He served as the Assistant Dean of the Management Department of the National Cryptologic School at NSA and retired as an Operations Manager in 1986 after 36 years on service.

Music and Piano were at the center of his life and that love of the piano led him to work part time as a piano instructor with Jason’s School of Music from 1970 to 1986. Upon his retirement from NSA in 1986 he became a full time piano instructor and taught over 600 students. Les played frequently at local establishments and private events. In 2000, Les produced a CD entitled “I Remember You”, a compilation of songs he played on the piano in memory of his second wife Pat Price-Partiss who died in February of that year. All proceeds from the sale of the CD went to benefit the Hospice of the Chesapeake. He also had a great interest in Broadway Shows.

Les has been a resident of Heartland’s Assisted Living at Severna Park, Maryland for the past eight months. He was regularly on the schedule as the piano player after dinner five nights a week. He brought lots of music and songs to all the residents and everyone there knew him as “Mr. Les the piano man”. He never stopped giving piano lessons, he taught students in his room at Heartlands right to the end.

Les is survived by four daughters: Gale Schreiber and her husband Rick of Pasadena, Lisa Meekins and her husband Dan of Hampstead, Beth Przybylski and her husband Rick of Pasadena, Amy Tolomei of Severna Park, eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren and his first wife Ruth Partiss. He is pre-deceased by his son Leslie Raymond Partiss, III.

The family will receive friends at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street Annapolis, MD 21401 on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM. A Funeral Service will be held in the Funeral Home Chapel on Friday at 11 am. (A Private Cremation will follow). A private inurnment with Military Honors will take place in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In Lieu of flowers memorials in Les’s name to Hospice of the Chesapeake 90 Ritchie Highway Pasadena, Maryland 21122 will be appreciated.