Family members in honor of Laretha J. “Lee” Leyman
Dr. Leyman earned her B.A degree in Business Education and Physical Education at Ball State University, and her M.S. and Ed.D. in Physical Education from Indiana University. She taught Physical Education in the public schools for thirteen years prior to coming to SUNY Cortland in 1955. She taught in the Physical Education Department for thirty years, rising through the ranks to associate professor in 1967 and to full professor in 1972. She retired as Professor Emerita of Physical Education in 1985.
During her career at the College, Dr. Leyman was an active member of the faculty, providing leadership on many campus-‐wide committees, including the Cortland Committee on Articulation for the Transfer of Students, which paved the way for 2 plus 2 agreements between SUNY Cortland and community colleges. Her publications included research on projections of grade point averages of women physical education students.
Dr. Leyman served as a board member of the SUNY Cortland-‐Cortland College Foundation from 2003 to 2009 and was a devoted friend of the College. To support SUNY Cortland students, she established the “Community Scholarship for Student Volunteers and Interns.” She enjoyed volunteering for the NYS Senior Games and the Cortland County Convention and Tourism Bureau.
Dr. Leyman was a tireless leader and advocate for women through the YWCA of Cortland, where she instituted numerous initiatives and served as an avid volunteer and benefactor. The YWCA recently named a facility “The Dr. LaRetha “Lee” Leyman Aquatic Center” in her honor.
Remaining active throughout her retirement, Dr. Leyman managed to combine those qualities that made her most unique: a keen sense of business, a passion for physical activity and a strong commitment to helping others. With an unparalleled appreciation for all that life has to offer, she traveled extensively, participated in numerous Elderhostel experiences, and volunteered through AARP and the IRS, assisting hundreds of senior citizens with tax preparations.