Friday, September 13, 2024
T. Richard Leidig passed away surrounded by his loving family on May 19, 2022, at Largo Medical Center following a brief illness. Known to his family and friends as “Dick”, he was born on March 23, 1931, in Utica, NY, to Clarence and Marian Williams Leidig. He graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1949 and from Bryant College (RI) in August, 1951, with a degree in Accountancy and Finance. At Bryant College, he was a member of Chi Gamma Iota and played basketball. Always industrious, Dick worked his way through college by washing dishes.
On Nov. 24, 1951, Dick married his high school sweetheart, Lucille “Luci” Joyce Tyler at St. Peter’s Church in Rome, NY. Dick and Luci celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Nov. 24, 2021, enjoying a special dinner with family. Their marriage was a testament to love, devotion, and faith.
Dick began his career as an accountant with Rome Cable Corporation in Rome, NY, in 1951. He retired as Vice President of Administration in 1986 and followed up his long career as a Business Consultant. He generously gave his time in support of many worthy causes. He and his wife volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, and ringing the bell at Christmas time for the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. He volunteered with Literacy Volunteers of America and taught many to read.
He served on the Board of Directors for Rome Savings Bank/Rome Bancorp. from 1969 until 2007 and on the Board of Trustees of Rome Memorial Hospital. He was active with the Utica Power Squadron and taught courses on navigation. He was a Lay Trustee for St. Paul’s Catholic Church (Rome, NY) beginning in 1994 and freely gave his time to help advise on financial matters.
Dick especially enjoyed being with his family and friends. There were many family gatherings throughout his life and Dick always took it upon himself to gather and provide all of the fun games and toys for every family gathering. He would arrive with a car full of bocce balls, badminton rackets, kickballs, volley balls, floats, boats, paddles, and rafts. He wanted to make sure everyone could be included in the fun!
Dick played the saxophone throughout his life; beginning with alto saxophone and with renewed interest and time in later years moved to the tenor saxophone. He took lessons from Scott Rutledge and enjoyed developing his repertoire through much practice. Dick and Luci were loyal supporters of the Syracuse (NY) Symphony Orchestra and the Suncoast (FL) Symphony Orchestra.
An avid sportsman, Dick taught his wife, Luci, to ski at Snow Ridge in Turin, NY. He followed this up by teaching his children and grandchildren to ski. He enjoyed tennis, a sport that he also passed along to his entire family and was the Men’s Doubles Champion in Rome, NY, along with his partner Dick McMahon. He loved cross country skiing, swimming, hiking, bicycling, ping pong, badminton, foosball, pool, and especially sailing and canoeing.
Dick and Luci were members of the Lake Delta Yacht club and they began sailing on Lake Delta using a small sailboard. They worked their way up through a series of boats and eventually owned “Papermoon” which they docked in Clayton, NY. They spent many summers enjoying adventures in the Thousand Islands and sailed “Papermoon” all the way to Key Largo and back famously mooring right by the Statue of Liberty on the way south.
After selling “Papermoon”, Dick and Luci traveled throughout the United States in their RV aka Dick and Luci’s land yacht. They enjoyed driving their land yacht south to Florida for the winter each year and visiting family and friends along the way. They eventually sold their land yacht and purchased a lovely condo at Willow Point on Lake Seminole (Largo, FL) where they could go out on their dock and get in their canoe when they pleased.
Dick leaves behind to cherish memory his devoted sweetheart and wife of 70 years, Lucille Tyler Leidig; a beloved daughter, Kathleen (Bruce) Villeneuve; and a beloved son, Richard (Kathy) Leidig. He is survived by his grandchildren, Karen (Chris) Swim, Steven (Lea) Spitzer, William Leidig, and Maria (Keith) Braun; and great-grandchildren, Ashlynne Leidig, Aubree Leidig, Annaleigh Leidig, Alyvia Leidig, Adalynn Spitzer, Jack Spitzer, Harper Braun, Edison Braun, Carmen Beyer, Sammy Villeneuve; and many, many wonderful and cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Preceding him in death and welcoming him to Heaven were his parents, Clarence and Marian Williams Leidig; his stepmother, Frieda Leidig; his brother, Dr. Robert Leidig; sister-in-law, Andree Leidig; stepsisters, Arlene (Harold) Pifer, Barbara Brinck; brother-in-law, Dr. Edward C. Tyler; niece, Mary and her husband, John Hanrahan; his son, Stephen Tyler Leidig; his grandson, Tyler Steele Leidig; and his great-granddaughter, Kyleigh Victoria Mellen.
The family would like to especially thank Dick’s special caregiver, Eileen Murphy, for her tender and devoted care, all of the wonderful caregivers from Enhanced Independence, and the staff of Largo Medical most especially Louis, CTICU nurse, and Cindy, for the loving care they showed Dick in his time of need.
Dick was a longtime communicant of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Rome, NY where he served as a Lector and Commentator, and St. Jerome Catholic Church in Largo, FL.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated by Rev. Tom Morgan on Monday, May 23, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Jerome Catholic Church (Largo, FL). Dick will be laid to rest at Lee Valley Cemetery (Lee, NY) on Friday, May 27, 2022, at 11 a.m. Family and friends are invited to attend.
Contributions in Dick’s memory may be made to: St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 1807 Bedford St., Rome, NY 13440; or St. Jerome Catholic Church, 10895 Hamlin Blvd., Largo, FL 33774-5051.
