Samuel (Sam) Lesseig

Samuel (Sam) L.
Lesseig


Samuel (Sam) L. Lesseig of Kirksville, Mo
passed away Monday, August
26, 2013. He was born January 19, 1939 at Great Bend, KS, son of
Phil and Ruth Lesseig. He married Delores (Dee)
Zerr of Park, Ks. September
2, 1963. He is survived by his wife, Dee and three children, Vance,
Corey and Kristin Lesseig, three sisters, and six granddaughters.


Sam graduated from Hays High School, Hays, KS in 1957, Fort Hays State
University with a B.S. in mathematics and subsequently achieved a M.S. in
mathematics at Kansas State University. He then entered a doctoral program at
Southern Illinois University and also attended Kent State University on a
Computer Science Fellowship.

In 1963 he joined the faculty at Northeast
Missouri State Teachers College now Truman State University where he continued
as a professor until his death. In addition to his teaching role in the
mathematics department Sam’s most significant contribution to the University
was the creation and establishment of a woman’s golf team at Truman State University
in 1984. He coached two all-Americans and 14 academic all-Americans while
leading the Bulldogs to 11 postseason appearances at the National Golf Coaches
Association Division II National Championships and the NCAA Division II and III
Women’s Golf Championships. In 1999-2000, four members of the team were named
to the NGCA all-academic team, the most in school history. The Bulldogs
qualified as a team for the inaugural NCAA meet and returned as a squad after a
thrilling second place playoff finish at regionals in 2006-07. Truman finished
eighth that year at the national meet held in Houston, Texas.


He served on the NCAA Women’s Golf Committee for a total of nine years
and was Truman’s interim athletics director during the 1988-89 school year.


In the community Sam was active in his church, the Kirksville Country
Club, and was involved with his children in youth athletic programs. Throughout
his life Sam was influential to a broad range of students, golfers and
individuals in the community and will be missed by all those who knew him.


Visitation will be Thursday, August 29 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer
Funeral Home.  Service will be held at
Mary Immaculate Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m. Friday in Kirksville.

Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer
Funeral Home

2100 E. Shepherd Ave.

Kirksville, MO
63501   660-665-2233


In lieu of flowers contribution can be made to the Lesseig Family
Scholarship or the Women’s Golf Scholarship at Truman State University.