DAVID LEFF OBITUARY
The town of Collinsville mourns the death of environmentalist, lecturer, author, poet David K. Leff who unexpectedly passed away on May 29, 2022. David K. Leff was born in Albany, NY on April 9, 1955. He grew up in Fairfield Connecticut but adopted Collinsville,Connecticut, where he lived for 38 years as his hometown. David Leff graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a B.A. in history. After receiving his law degree from the University of Connecticut in 1978, he worked as a researcher and legal advisor for the Connecticut General Assembly’s Environmental Committee. In 1994 he was tapped to be Deputy Commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. He was the primary writer of the state’s first green space plan and negotiator of Connecticut’s largest land acquisition, more than 15,000 acres, known as Centennial Watershed Forest. Much to his dismay, he was forced to retire in 2006 due to the debilitating effects of spinal stenosis. His sudden death did what his forced retirement could not, end his public service. David Leff’s extensive volunteer work for the Town of Canton included, in part, town historian, town meeting moderator, and poet laureate. He was particularly proud of his 26 years as a volunteer firefighter, serving as their safety officer. He was the inaugural National Park Service New England National Scenic Trail Poet in Residence and New England Environmental Beat Poet Laureate. He served on numerous boards, including Riverwood Poetry Series, Connecticut Forest and Park Association, Connecticut Maple Syrup Producers Association, and Audubon Connecticut. David Leff was a noted Thoreau scholar. He was an award-winning author of books of nonfiction, poetry, and novels in verse. His papers and journals are being archived at the University of Massachusetts Libraries in Amherst. Known for his all-encompassing intelligence and generous heart, David had a quick wit, an infectious laugh and endless puns. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, all of whom will miss him greatly. He leaves behind his beloved wife Mary C. Fletcher, daughter Tiki Leff Diliberto (Dave), son Joshua F. Leff, stepdaughter Ariel Prechtl, sisters Elizabeth Leff (Mark) and Suzanne Ordesky (Joel), and the residents of his beloved town of Collinsville. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be sent to: Roaring Brook Nature Center, Connecticut Audubon Society, Great Mountain Forest, White Memorial Conservation Center and organizations dedicated to preservation of wildlife and nature.
Published by Hartford Courant on Jun. 19, 2022.
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Longtime Canton Resident David Leff Has Died, Town Says
Leff died suddenly over the weekend, town officials said, and he’ll be honored with a memorial on the Collinsville Green on Tuesday night.
By Gabby DeBenedictis, Patch Staff
May 31, 2022 10:13 am EDT
CANTON, CT — Longtime Canton resident David Leff died suddenly over the Memorial Day 2022 weekend, and the town will honor him with a memorial service tonight. Born in Albany, NY in April 9, 1955, David was 67 years old.
The service will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on the Collinsville Green, and anyone who knew David is invited to set up chairs on the green.
“This is the place that David loved the best, and his family plans a joyful remembrance of his many interests and accomplishments in his too-short, but busy life,” town officials said in a news release.
Parking is available in the church parking lot on South Street, the Town Hall parking lot on Main Street or the museum parking lot along the rail trail off Main Street. Leff’s family asks that attendees carpool to the service, if possible.
Leff, former deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, was a poet, essayist and poet laureate who lived in Canton.
According to the Hartford Courant, he was Canton’s deputy historian and served 26 years as a volunteer firefighter. He was also the poetry editor of a quarterly magazine called Connecticut Woodlands, the Courant said in an April 2021 story highlighting him.
“David’s love of Canton/Collinsville, and his many works, both written and tangible, will be forever entwined into the fabric of this town,” town officials said in their news release.
David K. Leff is an award winning essayist, Pushcart Prize nominated poet and former deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. He is a member of the Collinsville Historic District Commission and was chairman for about two decades. David has been a
Boy Scout merit badge counselor and was a volunteer firefighter for 26 years. He is the Canton, Connecticut poet laureate, deputy town historian, and the town meeting moderator. In 2016 and 2017 he served as poet-in-residence for the New England National Scenic Trail (NET), the first ever such designation for any of the country’s eleven such trails established by an act of Congress.
The author of six nonfiction books, three volumes of poetry, and two novels in verse, David has read his work, given book talks, and lectured on literary, historical and environmental topics throughout Connecticut and beyond. He has served on the board of directors of the Riverwood Poetry Series, Inc. the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut. He is a member of the board of trustees of Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk, Connecticut, a non-profit working forest and conservation education organization, and is on the Collections Steering Committee of the Connecticut Historical Society. David has served as the book review editor of Connecticut Woodlands, the quarterly magazine of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association and is now the poetry editor. His papers are located at the Special Collections and University Archives, UMass/Amherst http://scua.library.umass.edu/umarmot/?s=leff
Read David’s full biography here.
Check out this profile of David by Eric Lehman that appeared in The Wayfarer: http://thewayfarer.homeboundpublications.com/a-wayfarer-david-k-leff/