Bill Leavy 1947-2023

[zebrablog]

Football Zebras has confirmed that Bill Leavy has passed away at the age of 76. No details were immediately available.

[FredFan7]

Very sad news. It appears to be a sudden passing. On social media, several current and former officials are expressing shock at this news and they are speaking the highest compliments about Leavy.

[FredFan7]

[zebrablog]

SJ39 Don Carlsen shared his thoughts after publication, which we included some in the post.

Thoughts from Don Carlsen: I first met Bill Leavy in the 1980's when Don Wilson assigned us to a WFC Cal Poly-SLO game in San Luis Obispo...We worked downfield together that evening...We next saw each other when he was brought into the NFL and we were assigned to Bernie Kukar's crew...I believe we worked together downfield on Bernie's crew for two seasons, Bill staying longer...We had a great two seasons on a great crew...In 2001, Bill was to become a Referee and I was assigned to his crew for his inaugural season, and I ended up working on that crew for 5 seasons...What a great ride being on his crew...The highlight of our time together was no doubt his first game as a Referee, the first weekend after the 9-11 tragedy, September 23, 2001 in San Francisco...Bill donned a firefighter cap for the coin toss to honor those who died in the aftermath...It was a moment those of us there will never forget!!...Bill was a great leader and took great pride in being part of the NFL family, and after his on-field career, he became a Supervisor, then a Trainer of young Referee's...A week before he passed, while my wife and I were in Palm Springs, Bill and I talked about his continued work on the Referee Manual, having grown from 20 pages to over 130...He took great pride in that document and told me he still met on zoom with young Referee's once a week to discuss their game of the previous week...Unfortunately, our lunch date last week had to be cancelled due to a friend of Bill's coming into town...It would have been so special to connect with him in person, but it didn't happen...So dear friend Bill, you are in our thoughts, and you probably know that!!...Don Carlsen

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[FredFan7]

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[bulldog6878]

How sad and such a tragic loss, RIP Bill Leavy

[zebrablog]

Who will fill Bill Leavy's shoes?