ALITZ, LeRoy A. 1919-2006

ALITZ, WEMKEN

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 4/26/2006 at 17:47:25

LeRoy A. Alitz, formerly of Osage, Iowa, and a 12-year resident of Hopewell Junction, New York, who served for 40 years as an instructor at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., passed away April 15, 2006 at Putnam Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Kent, N.Y. He was 86.

Son of the late John Alitz & Lena Wemken, LeRoy was born on 8 December 1919 on a farm near Mason City, Iowa, where he spent his formative years with 3 brothers and 4 sisters & where he developed into a fine multi-sport athlete. He excelled in football & wrestling & pitched softball so well that he was able to use that skill to augment his income. His undergraduate education was interrupted by World War II, during which he served as a navigator on the USS Core, an aircraft carrier in an anti-submarine naval group.

After the war, he returned to the University of Northern Iowa to complete his education, earning a bachelor of science degree (he would eventually fulfill the requirements for a masters degree in physical education from the University of Iowa).

Most importantly, he returned to his wife, Verda, and young sons, Douglas & Dennis, who soon moved with him to Osage, Iowa, where he worked for 6 years as a high school mathematics teacher & coached football, wrestling & baseball. There, a daughter, Diann, joined his growing, but not yet complete, family. In 1954, LeRoy accepted a position as physical education instructor & head wrestling coach at the United States Military Academy (USMA) West Point, NY, leading to 4 decades of fulfilling service to the sport of wrestling, the United States Army, his family and his God. He served as the head wrestling coach at West Point for 23 years (1954-1977) & as an associate coach for 10 more (1977-1987).

His contributions to the sport of wrestling were recognized by his membership in several halls of fame, especially his induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992. The citation for that induction documented that he had taught wrestling to more than 30,000 cadets, representing two-thirds of the USMA graduates to that date, certainly ranking him as one of the most prolific wrestling instructors of all time.

During his tenure as the second longest serving USMA faculty member of the twentieth century, LeRoy made contributions well beyond the bounds of the wrestling mat.

As LeRoy matured at West Point, his family grew as well with the addition of his two youngest sons, Curtis & Jeffrey. He took special pride in the accomplishments of all his children & somehow found the time to be available for each of them & to be a loving husband to his wife, Verda. He also somehow found the time to progress from a miserable to a mediocre fisherman. His joke-telling ability followed a similar trajectory. LeRoy was a true believer in the vital role that physical education & sports competition should play in the development of leaders of depth and character. He manifested that belief on a daily basis through his words and deeds. As cited in his biography for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, he was "a leader who established foundations for the growth of wrestling and a teacher of its values in life."

LeRoy is survived by his wife of 66 years, Verda Roben Alitz of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; four sons, Douglas Alitz & wife Maggie of Newcomb, N.Y.; Dennis Alitz & wife Linda of Chelmsford, M.A., Curtis Alitz & wife Debbie of West Point, N.Y. & Jeffrey Alitz & wife Katie of Charlestown, Mass., daughter, Diann Drenosky & husband Bill of Trumbull, Conn., sisters, Lucile Houck of Bremen, Ga., LoRee Kulhavy (twin sister) of Mason City, Iowa & Marjorie Hansen of Sumner, Wash., his brother, Harlan of Mason City, Iowa, 10 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by brothers, William Alitz of Des Moines, Iowa & Milton (Bud) Alitz of Mason City, Iowa, & sister, Inez Holmes, of Riceville, Iowa.

Funeral services will be at the Old Cadet Chapel, West Point, New York. Interment will follow at Post Cemetery at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

[ Original version posted on www.mcpress.com on April 26, 2006 ]