Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Longtime WBEN news anchor and reporter Mark Leitner has died at the age of 80 in Florida, following a battle with illness.
Leitner's powerful and commanding voice graced the WBEN airwaves from the 1980's until 2002, during which he anchored newscasts, hosted WBEN's Newsday at Noon broadcast and reported on major breaking news events throughout his award-winning career.
"It is truly the end of an era," said former WBEN News colleague and current Audacy Buffalo Market Manager Tim Wenger. "Mark's commanding voice and use of the English language to tell stories accurately and succinctly was unrivaled."
"It’s a sad day for the WBEN family," said WBEN anchor Susan Rose, who worked with Leitner extensively through the years. "Mark was a colleague, mentor and friend. He was the foundation of the newsroom. A calm, steady presence on the air with exceptional interviewing skills. He knew every police dispatcher in Western New York. I would not be doing what I do today, if I hadn’t worked with Mark for so many years."
Former WBEN reporter Brian Meyer remembers Leitner fondly, saying, "He was absolutely the hardest working, driven, and hilarious broadcaster I've ever worked with," Meyer told WBEN. "He was a wonderfully caring person."
Following his extensive work on WBEN, Leitner joined WBFO radio in Buffalo and served as a reporter before retiring and moving South.
Leitner is survived by his wife of 50 years, Suzanne, as well as two adult children, Catherine and Emily.
Services in Buffalo will be held at a later date.