Wallace Leifer

It is with deep love and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Wallace Leifer.

An unwaveringly loyal and dedicated husband, father, uncle, in-law and friend, Wallace—known affectionally to many as “Waldo,” had an immeasurable effect on many, many people. His was truly a life of both personal and professional accomplishment, one that has left an indelible and everlasting impact on us all.

A proud Brooklynite and 1961 Far Rockaway High School grad who earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont and his M.S. in Engineering Management from Long Island University, Wallace soon began a highly successful career in engineering at Grumman Aircraft.

In 1967, his life would become even richer, with the birth of his beautiful baby daughter Lorin Semone Leifer with first wife Helena “Helen” Gutgold.

Wallace’s proudest professional achievement would soon follow, as a member of the Grumman team that engineered and designed the Lunar Module (LEM) Eagle, which served as crew lander for Apollo 11 NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. While companies played a vital role in the Moon missions, arguably none were more vital than Grumman and its Lunar Module design. To commemorate his involvement in the historic project, Wallace wrapped a photo of his then-infant daughter into the landing gear, which remains on the moon 52 years later.

Wallace would leave Grumman for AT&T, which soon transferred him to Miami and later, Atlanta. In 1986, he relocated to Southern California for an executive position at GTE and subsequently at The Gas Company. Ultimately, he became a Broker Associate at Sotheby’s International Realty.

More importantly, Wallace’s move to Los Angeles would lead to an introduction to a lovely Midwestern lady, Francesca “Cissy” Muller. Married in 1993, Wallace and Cissy would share three magical decades of laughter, love, travels around the world and countless memories.

An accomplished landscape and portrait photorealism artist, Wallace often displayed his creations at local art shows in Southern California. Celebrity clients included LL Cool J and Richard Mancuso. Beyond art, his passions included comedy, astronomy, and a love for anything sweet. He was known to order “desert with a side of cheesecake.”

It was that sense of humor and joy of life that personified who Wallace was, and the essence of what we all will remember about him.

In addition to his wife, daughter, and mother in-law, he is survived by cousins, sisters in-law and nieces and nephews. An only child, he is also survived by his many “chosen” brothers and sisters, with whom shared deeply special relationships. Wallace was preceded in death by his father, Nathan Leifer, his mother Lilian Jacobs Leifer and his stepmother Martha Gilden Leifer.

In his memory, Wallace’s family asks those who loved him to celebrate “National Moon Day” on July 20. The 53rd anniversary of the first human landing on a celestial body signified an achievement only made possible by Americans working together for the greater good of the nation and all mankind.