Rev. William A. Leising

Rev. William A. Leising

Rev. William A. Leising, OMI, passed away on May 10, 2007, in Medford, Ore., after a long illness. Fr. Leising was a resident of Central Point.

He was born on March 31, 1913, in East Amherst, N.Y. He was the eldest of nine children born to George J. Leising and Mary R. Leising Smith. After initially beginning his higher pre-medicine studies at St. Bonaventure College in Olean, N.Y., he decided to enter the Roman Catholic religious congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Tewksbury, Mass., in 1933. After finishing his theological studies at Oblate College in Washington D.C., he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Francis Spellman on May 27, 1940.

Fr. Leising received his first assignment to the Arctic Missions of the Mackenzie, Canada, and spent 25 years in those Missions. He began by learning the Chipewayan language. The first ten years he often traveled by dog sled to reach the missions under his care, as well as by boat in the summers.

In 1945, he produced an hour long film documentary entitled "Arctic Missions of the Mackenzie", with the support of Cardinal Spellman of New York. In 1949, he was sent to Aklavik, on the Mackenzie Delta, and was instrumental in setting up a radio station which broadcast in both the Eskimo and English languages.

It was in 1950 that Fr. Leising obtained a pilot's license and began a flying career that lasted until 1965. During this time he also obtained a private dental license.

In 1958, Fr. Leising collected all his papers and notes and wrote Arctic Wings, published by Doubleday in 1959. This exciting book sold over half a million copies.

In 1965, Fr. Leising was instrumental in the building of a radio station located at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Ill. In 1966, he was assigned as pastor to St. Aloysius Parish in Greenbush, Minn., and then at the invitation of Archbishop Robert Dwyer of Portland, Ore., he founded Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Shady Cove, Ore. in 1970. Father Leising visited homes in the Rogue River Valley of Oregon and the new parish consisted of 340 families. He remained as pastor at Shady Cove for twenty years until 1990. It was at that time that he retired to Central Point, Ore.

Fr. Leising was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Hubert G.; and his sister, Rose E. Jewell. He is survived by his brothers and sisters: Rev. Edmund N. Leising, OMI, Alphonse F. Leising, Gerald A. Leising, Sister Dorothy Mary Leising, SSND, Sister Blanche Leising, SSND, and Sr. Florence Leising, SSND. Among his surviving nieces and nephews is the Rev. Robert G. Leising, OMI. His secretary of many years, Jacqueline Arsenaud, has been a faithful caretaker and resides in Central Point, Ore.

Perl Funeral Home of Medford, Ore. is providing the funeral services. There will be a Rosary service at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Shady Cove on Tuesday, May 15, at 7 P.M. and the Funeral Mass will be celebrated there on Wednesday, May 16, at 11 A.M. Funeral Mass and burial will take place in Tewksbury, Mass. on Friday, May 18.