Obituary of John M. Lieblang

John M. Lieblang, 86, of Amityville passed from this life on May 20, 2011. He was born to William and Janet Lieblang on April 2, 1925; youngest brother to Margaret, Katherine, Dorothy and George who all predeceased him. A lifelong Amityville resident, he was a fifth generation Long Islander and attended Amityville public schools. He was Suffolk County Wrestling Champion at Amityville High School in his senior year. For years he operated the popular Lieblang's Hardware store in Amityville. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp on April 1, 1943, became a gunner earning the American Campaign, Good Conduct and Victory Medals and separated from service January 12, 1946 with an honorable discharge. He attended Hofstra University 1947-1954 earning a Bachelor's in Business Administration. He married Virginia Barry on August 27, 1949. He and his wife Virginia had a life-long love affair and were happily married for 61 years. They had 10 children together: Virginia Deucher (James), Gail Lieblang, Jill Lieblang (deceased), Donna Lieblang, Grace Lieblang (Barry), Dean Lieblang, Dawn Lieblang, Mary J./Candy Lieblang and Keith Lieblang (deceased). John enjoyed taking his large family on multiple cross country trips with their motor home and enjoyed his 10 grandchildren: Kevin M. Campisi (Meghan), Andrew Deucher, Jesse Campisi, Melanie Lieblang, Meghan Deucher, Tara Tahlor, Brian Tahlor, Kelly Tahlor, James Garvey (deceased) and Eleanor Garvey and 3 Great Grandchildren: Lillian White, Logan Campisi and Carson White. He worked at Grumman Aerospace Corp on the LEM Project. Despite having a large family, he decided to pursue his life-long dream of becoming a funeral director. For many years, John worked in the Funeral Services Industry, completed a Masters Degree in Education at the State University of NY at Stony Brook. For 10 years John was part owner of the Powell & Lieblang Funeral Home in Amityville. He was supervising caretaker of Trinity Cemetery in Amityville and various small Long Island cemeteries. In 1970 Professor Lieblang was a founding member of the Mortuary Science Department at SUNY Farmingdale. He served as Chairman of that program from 1972 to 1991 when he moved the program to Nassau Community College. He retired from his position as Chairman in 2004 earning numerous awards throughout his career. John has served on numerous Funeral Industry Boards and Committees culminating in the Chairmanship of the National Accreditation Committee of the American Board of Funeral Directors, which is the organization that monitors and accredits the 57 Mortuary Science Programs nationwide. Professor Lieblang was also a past president of the Mortuary Science Education Association. Many funeral directors and funeral home owners, right here on Long Island, owe their success and careers to his ability to teach and his ability to encourage learning. He was an excellent administrator and educator, and he had a firm commitment to his ideas and thoughts, giving much consideration of the past, present and future impact of any decision on individual directors and the Funeral Profession as a whole. Foremost, Professor Lieblang loved his students and wanted them to succeed both in school and in their newly chosen profession. John was an avid believer in community service including but not limited to: board member of the Sunrise Psychiatric Clinic, member of the Knights of Columbus, former President of the Amityville Lions Club, as well as a faithful usher at St. Martin of Tour's RC Church where he was a life-long parishioner. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to: The John M. Lieblang Scholarship at Nassau Community College, NCC Foundation Office, 1 Education Dr., Garden City, NY 11530. Please make checks payable to NCC Foundation and indicate John M. Lieblang in the memo section. Or Our Lady of Consolation Residence, In Memory of John M. Lieblang, Padua or Palliative Care Units, Attn Community Relations Dept., 111 Beach Dr., West Islip, NY 11795.