Warren Leib
Born: May 19, 1937
Died: September 4, 2022
Married: Mary Casey, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2013
Children: Theresa Leib, Maria Jensen, Anna Leib, Martha Carnes, Molly Barber, Michael Leib, Maureen Leib, Casey Seckner
Warren Leib graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1954 and has many memories of growing up in Bloomingdale and Saranac Lake.
Warren spent his early childhood at the farm of his cousin, Sandy Hayes, in Bloomingdale. Then he moved with his mother to 53 1/2 Main Street, a building with four rental units behind the Linwood Cottage.
He had a number of odd jobs around town as a young man. He worked at E. J. Kennedy's, sweeping floors. He had to cover all the black dresses before sweeping so that they wouldn't get dusty. He took out the trash and burned it behind the store. On Saturdays he washed the windows and cleaned the large mirrors over the changing area in the back of the stores. The ladies in the store weren't pleased with him doing that work while they were trying on clothes.
Warren had a job delivering papers for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. He delivered papers to the people who lived on the upper floors of the Main Street buildings. Many of them had been patients, and some were still curing for TB in the 1950s.
Warren also worked at Green's Market. He made 62 cents an hour. The ladies would come in and sit on the stools at the counter and give Nita Green their lists. He would go around collecting what they wanted, using a pole with pinchers at the end to grab things from the top shelves. He was "the official melon smeller." The ladies would say, "Have Warren pick out my melon," because he was good at being able to smell which cantaloupes were ripe. Warren remembers Charlie and his wife fondly. "Charlie was always hopping around the store, and we were expected to do the same."
Warren played on the Saranac Lake baseball and football teams. He used to go to the Teen Canteen and served as president of the group for a while. He remembers the Friday and Saturday dances in the auditorium at the Harrietstown Town Hall. He also spent a lot of time at Bernie Wilson's, playing pinball and drinking strawberry coke. He also hung out at Meyers Drug Store, where they had a soda counter and three or four booths. Warren was friends with Bunny Scheefer and they played on the Alpine Hotel softball team together.
He worked with contractors on the plumbing at the Sanatorium after it closed and was being changed over to the American Management Association.
Information provided by phone to Amy Catania, January 21, 2014
Obituary of Warren H. Leib
(Pulaski, NY) | Date of Publication: 06 Sep 2022
Warren H. Leib, age 85, longtime resident of Fernwood , passed away Sunday at Upstate University Hospital. Warren was born in Saranac Lake to Katherine (Hayes) Williams on May 19, 1937. He grew up in Bloomingdale, NY and after graduation from Saranac Lake in 1954, he attended Albany State College and received his BS and MS from Potsdam State College. His teaching experience began in Brasher Falls, NY. His administrative experience began in Sherwood and Moravia, NY. In 1964, he became Elementary Supervisor of Southern Cayuga Central School for 16 years. In 1979, he moved to Pulaski, NY where he retired after 15 years as Superintendent. Warren was involved in his community and his roles included, President of Service Club, EMT at NOCA, and a 25-year Trustee of the Pulaski Library. He was also a member of Christ Our Light Church and served as an instructor of Confirmation, lector and member of Parish Council and Church Trustee. In 1963, Warren married Mary (Casey) Leib and they were blessed with eight children all of whom are surviving, Theresa Leib of Orwell, Maria (Shanon) Jensen of Largo, FL, Anna Leib (Chris) of Pulaski, Martha (John) Carnes of Pulaski, Molly Barber of Brewerton, Michael (Alaina) Leib of E. Syracuse, Maureen Leib (Bob) of Pulaski and Casey (Karl) Seckner of Camden. They were also blessed with 13 grandchildren, Elizabeth (Dallas), Mary (Riley), Sean, Sam, Ben, Jack, Patrick, Maura, Eileen, Cal, Shannon, Peter, and Brady and three great-granddaughters Sophia, Grace, Avery, and one on the way. Warren was predeceased by his sister, Beverly Weeks. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m, on Saturday, September 10 th at Christ Our Light Parish, 23 Niagara Street, Pulaski with burial in South Richland Cemetery in Fernwood. Calling hours will be held from 3 to 6 p.m, Friday at the Foster-Hax Funeral Home, 52 Park Street, Pulaski