Leonard “Lenny” Shedletsky, 81, died of pancreatic cancer on January 20, 2026, at his home in Portland, Maine.
Born on April 4, 1944, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Lenny grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where his sharp humor, creativity, and deep sense of fairness first took shape.
Lenny was smart, playful, and quietly funny from a young age. In the 1960s, he and his brother once entered a contest on The Steve Allen Show to win a cannon. Their submission – a deliberately burned and coffee-stained postcard – answered the question “Why should you win this cannon?” with a single line: “Because I’m very responsible.” He won. The prize included being flown to Los Angeles for an appearance on The Steve Allen Show, quite a trip for a 19-year-old. The story delighted him not for the prize itself, but for the cleverness of the idea. That same sensibility followed him throughout his life.
Lenny was a lifelong learner whose intellectual curiosity never dimmed. He earned his B.A. from Brooklyn College, his M.A. from San Francisco State College, and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, conducting doctoral research as a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Psychology at Columbia University.
Teaching and research were not just his career – they were his passion, his hobby, and his life. After beginning his academic career at the University of Connecticut, he moved to Maine in 1979, where he taught at the University of Southern Maine in the Department of Communications for more than four decades and was promoted to full Professor in 1991. He published over 30 journal articles and six books, including his final book, Rationalist Bias in Communication Theory (2021).
Lenny was an early innovator in using the internet in the classroom. Beginning in the 1990s, he helped train teachers and librarians in how to find and implement digital resources. He was also an early adopter of online learning, working diligently to ensure his courses ran seamlessly online. His students described him as engaging, thoughtful, and deeply accessible, valuing his commitment to intellectual honesty, ethical thinking, and clarity. One of his most beloved courses, Dissecting Bullshit, reflected those values exactly.
Lenny was a kind, thoughtful, and deeply moral person with a sharp mind and an enduring love of humor. He delighted in making others laugh and in challenging people to think more clearly and honestly about the world.
Above all else, Lenny was a father whose support never wavered. His children knew – without question – that they could count on him for anything.
Lenny was predeceased by his parents, Ben and Ann Shedletsky, and his brothers, Murray Sheldon and Bernie Sheldon.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Cathie Whittenburg; his daughter, Jo Temah Gabrielski; his son, Noah Whittenburg; and five beloved grandchildren: Maggie, Nessya, Leebi, Gavriella, and Aharon.
Funeral services will be held at Mt. Sinai Cemetery, off Warren Avenue, Portland, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026. A gathering at Lenny and Cathie’s home will take place immediately following.
Donations in Lenny’s memory may be made to:
League of Women Voters of Maine
Emily Farley Education Fund
c/o Maine Community Foundation
245 Main Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
For information on how to donate online, visit:
www.lwvme.org/EFF