Leslie Unger Obituary

Leslie H. (Les) Unger, 77, a six-year resident of Colorado Springs, passed away on April 14 at Pikes Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs. A graveside burial was held at Sons of Israel Cemetery in Colorado Springs on Tuesday. He spent the first 71 years of his life living in Newark and Central New Jersey. Mr. Unger's worked over 45 years as a sports administrator. From 1955-1976, he worked at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as the Sports Information Director. In 1976, he was hired to become the Director of Public Relations at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, N.J. He worked at the Meadowlands from 1976 to 1990, and helped open Giants Stadium, the Meadowlands Arena and the Meadowlands Racetrack. Mr. Unger also served as the Director of College Athletics at the Meadowlands, and booked numerous college football and basketball games in the facilities. He was instrumental in bringing the 1996 NCAA basketball Final Four to the Meadowlands Arena, and was also deeply involved in many other NCAA events. He was a driving force behind college football's Garden State Bowl and the Kickoff Classic. He also helped bring track and field to the Arena, and in the early 80s, worked with Bill Cosby to be the title sponsor of the track event hosted by the Meadowlands. In 1990, after retiring from the Meadowlands, Unger began a 10-year stint with the United States Golf Association as a part-time employee in the communications department. One of his main roles was serving as the moderator of interviews done at the USGA championship events, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open. He performed numerous interviews with Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Annika Sorenstam, and a host of other well-known golfers. Mr. Unger served in the U.S. Army, receiving an honorable discharge in 1954. He was a 1952 graduate of Rutgers University with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jan; two daughters, Susan Ne'eman of Eshchar, Israel and Bobbi Rector of Glendale, Wisc.; a son, Michael, of Colorado Springs, and seven grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer's Association of Colorado Springs, 2315 Bott Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80904, or to Sterling House of Colorado Springs, 7560 Lexington Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80920.