Norman A. Leising, retired golf course superintendent

Leising

Norman Aloysious Leising, 75, a retired golf course superintendent for the Country Club of Buffalo, died Tuesday, Feb, 20, 2007, in his Williamsville home.

Born in Williamsville, he attended Newman High School and received his certification in turf management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Besides a stint from 1952-53 as a sergeant in the US Army, Mr. Leising worked for more than 45 years at the Country Club of Buffalo, 30 of those years as its superintendent.

Mr. Leising had been a member of the Western New York Golf Course Superintendent Association since 1965 and played a key role in starting a chapter turf newsletter and co-authored a set of training guidelines for workers with special needs. He also invented a sand washer to recycle bunker sands.

On Jan. 12, 2007, he received the first Western New York GCSA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Leising retired 13 years ago from the Country Club of Buffalo but continued to be active in the Western New York GCSA and was a consultant to area golf courses and homeowners.

Prior to entering the golf business, he started his own lawn-spraying business.

He also became known as a pioneer in the practice of spoon-feeding nitrogen, a process where nitrogen is applied in small amounts to encourage healthy root and blade development, deter fungus and insect invasion and keep a golf playing surface smooth.

Mr. Leising was one of the first members of St. Gregory the Great Parish in Williamsville. He enjoyed pheasant and deer hunting with his sons and grandsons.

Mr. Leising is survived by his wife, Ann Marie; a daughter, Diane Gambacorta; two sons, Michael Leising of Boca Raton, Fla.; and John Leising; a twin sister, Norma Pfohl, as well as sisters, Zeta Allen, Irma Gray, Ruth Huber, Sylvia Hahn, Bernice Leichtnam, and Joan Walker; three brothers, James, Vincent and Robert; and eight grandchildren.

Prayers were said on Friday, Feb. 23 from Amigone Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial from St. Gregory the Great Church.