Allen Lee Leffler, 88 years old, of Pozo, California passed away on March 5th, 2019 in San Luis Obispo, California. Al was born in Millbank, South Dakota to Theodore Lee and Edith Marie Leffler. After his younger brother Jim was born, the family moved to Sulfur Mountain in Santa Paula Ca. Al attended Mupu Elementary School in Santa Paula and enlisted in the Air Force after graduating Santa Paula High School in 1948. Al was sent to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas for basic training. After completing radio signal repair training, he was assigned to the 3310th maintenance squad at Scott AFB in St. Louis, Illinois. While in St. Louis he met his future wife Irene Koskie. On their 1st date Al landed his WW2 trainer plane in a field on her family’s farm. This must have made quite an impression as they were soon married on December 2nd, 1950 in East St. Louis. Al used his training he received in the Air Force to start a career in ocean and land surveying. He was the west coast Vice President for Off Shore Navigation many years before starting his own surveying company Navigation Services Inc., headquartered in Ventura, California. His career took him all over the world. He sold his company in 1983 and they moved to their ranch named the” Flying LB” in Pozo Valley. From his introduction to aviation during the service his passion for flying continued to grow. He flew multiple types of prop airplanes during his surveying career and private life. Al was better known as “Little Boy” from his call sign on the gliding competition circuit. Competition soaring started for Al in 1957 at El Mirage. He was the national soaring champion in 1976 & 1983. He was also invited to fly in the most prestigious soaring competitions – the Smirnoff Derby (1977), Ameriglide (1990) and The Hitachi Masters of Soaring (1986, 1987, 1988). In 1988 he was the 1st American invited to the German Cup in Hungary and won. He was a licensed commercial pilot, soaring instructor and very active in promoting and supporting competitive soaring in America. He was inducted into the United States Soaring Hall of Fame in 2001. Al is survived by his wife of 68 years Irene Leffler, daughters Sandra Gast, Linda McDaniel and son Gary Leffler. 8 Grandchildren and 5 Great Grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are with Chapel of the Roses in Atascadero, California.
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