Leo J. Christy was born in 1915 in East Chicago, Indiana. He earned two undergraduate degrees in chemistry and music, one master’s, and one doctorate degree from Indiana University and the University of Illinois between 1939-1956. He married Harriet Johnson in 1949, who was an instructor of library science and media education at UW-Eau Claire. They had two children, Ann and Robert. Christy passed away in June 1988, at the age of 73, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Before coming to the Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire in 1956, Christy worked as an industrial chemist for two years, and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He taught music at San Diego State University, and Carleton College and Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. Christy joined the music faculty in 1956 as director of bands. He directed the marching and concert bands until 1963, and later taught courses in music literature and music history, applied bassoon, saxophone, and clarinet. He retired in 1980.

The UW-Eau Claire Foundation provides a Leo J. Christy Scholarship of $450 to a full-time woodwind music major, in either Music Education or Applied, that has completed at least 60 semester hours and has at least one year of undergraduate study remaining. A 3.0 GPA or better is required.