Sal E Gotleib

Sal E. Gotleib, 87, of Spring, Texas, passed away on October 31, 2026. Born and raised in Vineland, New Jersey, Sal lived a life around family, friendship, hard work, creativity, and an enduring passion for automobiles.

After high school, Sal proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1957 to 1960, working as an aircraft mechanic. During his military service, he was stationed primarily in Texas and the Philippines.

Sal married his beloved wife, Leesa Gotleib, on September 24, 1983. Together, they shared more than 43 years of marriage and a lifetime of beautiful memories together.

Throughout his working life, Sal enjoyed a career in sales, working in several different fields before eventually establishing and operating his own business. Sal had the mind of an engineer and the imagination of a designer. He had a remarkable natural ability to envision how things could be built, improved, or restored. He had an amazing talent for art and enjoyed drawing his own automobile designs. He had a gift for designing and building just about anything he could imagine.

Restoring vintage cars was Sal’s favorite pastime. He especially prized the Lincoln Continental Mark II and owned and restored several throughout his lifetime. He could strip an old car to its frame and bring it back to life, piece by piece. His garage was his kingdom, where he spent countless hours on projects he loved. Through his Lincoln car club, he formed lifelong friendships rooted in a shared love of automobiles.

Family meant more to Sal than anything else. He especially cherished time with his grandchildren and enjoyed life’s simple pleasures, from tending to his home to working in his beloved garage. Easygoing and friendly, he was always willing to lend a hand. Sal’s warmth put people at ease and made him a pleasure to be around.

Sal will be remembered for his friendly spirit, quick wit, easygoing nature, remarkable creativity, and lifelong love of vintage automobiles. His family and friends will forever cherish the memories they shared with him and the legacy he leaves behind.

Sal is survived by his wife, Leesa Gotleib, his sons David and Michael (Christina), his daughters Robin, Kimberly (Eric) and Terri, his five grandchildren Lauren, Matthew, Collen, Lexi, and Christopher, his great-grandchild Rory, his sisters-in-law Olga and Randy, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beloved parents Isadore and Betty, sister Sonya, brothers Edward and Harold, and grandson Logan.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at Spring Baptist Church, 633 E. Louetta Road, Spring, Texas 77373. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m., and a luncheon at 12:00 p.m.

Interment will follow at 2:15 p.m. at Houston National Cemetery at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77038.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Sal’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, https://www.alzfdn.org