Morton E. Leshay

Morton Edward Leshay was born in the Bronx, New York City to Betty and Louis Leshay on

March 17, 1930. He attended Taft High School, and graduated from the City College of New

York in 1951 with a degree in political science. After graduation, Morton was drafted and served

two years in the army during the Korean War. He was stationed at a supply depot near

Fairbanks, Alaska for most of his service.

Morton met Enid Zarkower at City College, and they were married on May 24,1952, while he

was serving in the army. They were happily married for seventy years.

After completing his service in the armed forces, Morton began his long career as a public

school teacher. He taught fifth grade for ten years, and then switched to teaching physical

education in elementary schools, eventually landing at PS219 in Flushing, Queens, where he

taught for over twenty years. He was beloved and admired by both his students and colleagues

for his energy, commitment, innovation, and the infectious joy he brought to the gymnasium.

He loved sports - particularly handball, basketball, tennis, and perhaps most of all downhill

skiing. He continued to ski well into his eighties. Morton was also an avid duplicate bridge player

and attained the rank of Life Master.

Morton and Enid loved to travel - they traveled throughout the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii

and also to Israel, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand - and most often to

Europe, which they visited about twenty times. They made many close friends on these trips,

who they continued to visit on subsequent trips and also hosted return visits at their house in

Queens. Over the years they had friendships with people in Switzerland, France, the

Netherlands, Denmark, England, Singapore, New Zealand, and China.

He is preceded in death by his wife of seventy years, Enid Zelda (Zarkower) Leshay, and his

sister, Blanche Cornwall.

Morton is survived by his two children, Bruce Leshay and his wife Cheryl Leshay of West

Boylston, Massachusetts and Linda Leshay and her husband Rafael Guadalupe of Ridgefield

Park, New Jersey, his four grandchildren - Eric Leshay, Ilana Bartok, Gabrielle Guadalupe, and

Julian Guadalupe, and three great grandchildren - Anna, Barry, and Cara.

A funeral service for Morton will be held Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapels, 114-03 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY 11375. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 1:15 PM to 2:15 PM at Beth David Cemetery, 300 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003.