Office Basics founder Richard J. Leighton, 57

Richard J. Leighton, 57, of Broomall, founder of Office Basics, died of cancer Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Bryn Mawr Hospital.

In 1981, Mr. Leighton opened an office-supply store in a retail storefront in Springfield, Delaware County. In the next six years the business moved twice to bigger quarters.

In 1999, Office Basics moved to a new, fully automated, 100,000-square-foot warehouse and office building in Boothwyn. Mr. Leighton later opened branch facilities in Allentown and Lancaster.

With a fleet of 45 trucks and 130 employees, the company now coordinates deliveries of office supplies to customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. Mr. Leighton's son, John, will continue to run the business.

A native of Broomall, Mr. Leighton graduated from Devon Preparatory School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Villanova University and later funded a scholarship at Villanova for entrepreneurial studies.

Before starting his company, he was a sales representative for Burroughs Corp. and for IBM.

Mr. Leighton's success was achieved despite personal tragedy and health challenges. In 1988, his wife Renay Hrivnok Leighton, who worked with him in his business, died of lymphoma at age 37. Their son was then 5.

Several years later, Mr. Leighton developed liver disease and had a liver transplant in 2001. He helped establish and was chairman of the board of the Clyde F. Barker Transplant House, a "home away from home" for transplant families. Groundbreaking was in 2008 for the West Philadelphia facility, which is modeled after the Ronald McDonald Houses and named for the physician who performed the first kidney transplant at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1966.

Mr. Leighton was past president of the Rotary Club of Broomall. He headed the club's project to replace equipment in a playground and volunteered his truck fleet to Operation Warm for deliveries of winter coats for children, his son said.

Mr. Leighton was a sports-car enthusiast. He played golf at Overbrook Golf Club and enjoyed boating and deep-sea fishing in Ocean City, N.J., where he had a vacation home.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his mother, Marjorie Leighton; two brothers; and two sisters.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, and from 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m., at St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, 2400 N. Providence Rd., Media. Burial will be in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple Township.

Donations may be made to Clyde F. Barker Transplant House, Penn Medicine Development, 3535 Market St., Suite 750, Philadelphia 19104.