Obituary of Leif Tellefsen

Leif Tellefsen, age 88, of Poughkeepsie, died Sunday, January 18, 2015 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center Poughkeepsie, NY. Leif was born February 23, 1926 in Grimstad, Norway and immigrated to the United States in 1932 at the age of 6. He is the son of the late Ole A. and the late Mathea (Olsen) Tellefsen. He married Nancy A. Thurston on September 18, 1960 at St. John's Lutheran Church Poughkeepsie. He was predeceased by his wife, Nancy A. Thurston on December 10, 1998. He served in the Army during World War II from 1944 to 1946 in the 70th Infantry Division, known as the Trailblazers, as an initial group of replacements during the Battle of the Bulge. They continued into Germany and were known for crossing the Saar River and captured SaarBruken Germany. After Graduating from Pratt Institute, Leif began his career at IBM Poughkeepsie in 1953 retiring as a Mechanical Engineer in 1987 with 34 years of service. Leif was a member of Dutchess Golf and Country Club, Poughkeepsie Tennis Club and the Rolls Royce Club. He was a local resident since 1953 previously from Staten Island. Leif loved to play sports and once served as the chairman of the YMCA Physical Education Committee. He is survived by his son and daughter In-law, Thor L. and Jennifer Tellefsen of Port St. Lucie, FL; daughter and son In-law, Susan I. and Edward Finck of Poughkeepsie, NY; grandchildren Erik and Tyler Tellefsen, Allyson and Christopher Finck and his sister Eleanor James of Scottsdale Arizona. Calling Hours will be held Thursday January 22, from 4pm to 8pm at the Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home 371 Hooker Ave. Poughkeepsie, New York 12603 The funeral will be held 10:00 am on Friday, January 23, 2015 at Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home Inc., 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY. Burial will follow at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, Poughkeepsie, New York.