Norman George Ungermann Jr.

CUBA — Norman George Ungermann Jr. passed away Thursday (June 11, 2026) due to natural causes.

Born in Detroit, Mich. on April 24, 1943, Norm was the youngest of three sons born to Norman Sr. and Mary Manko Ungermann.

In 1949, the family moved to a farm in Cuba, where he resided until his recent downturn and stay at the Cuba Memorial Hospital long term care unit.

After graduation from Cuba Central School in 1961, Norm entered the U.S. Army for two years, then returned to work on the family dairy farm, and as a dozer operator for S.J. Groves, where he participated in the construction of the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86).

Norm also owned a stock car, and enjoyed racing at local dirt tracks. He remained a racing fan throughout his life, sponsoring many cars along the way.

In 1967, he married Marjanne C. van der Horst, and had two children, daughter Cindy and son Cale.

In 1970 he started his own excavation business known as Ungermann Excavating. He began with agricultural drainage work and forestry road building, then added employees and incorporated in 1988. The business steadily expanded into site development and soil and water conservation work, which Norm especially favored engineering and buildings ponds.

In 1990 his children entered the business workforce, and under Norm’s leadership they expanded into sand and gravel production, building a reputation for quality product at a fair price, and became a dependable aggregate source for many local contractors and municipalities, until retiring at the end of 2024.

Throughout his career, Norm was very involved with civic organizations locally and nationally. As an active member of the Cuba Lions Club, he was awarded Lion of the Year in 1996, the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award in 2007 and again in 2021, and the Melvin Jones Fellow Lions International Award in 2008.

Norman was also active in the Land Improvement Contractors of America. In 1978 he received Contractor of the Year from the NY LICA chapter. He served as the northeast regional director for National LICA from 1985-86, and was awarded National Contractor of the Year in 1989. He later again served the NY chapter as director from 2004-2006, and chaired the NY chapter’s Workers’ Compensation Safety Group for many years.

From 2005-2017, Norm served as an Allegany County legislator. He often referred to this position as his hardest job, strongly advocating for the taxpayer with a work ethic and forward thinking that was often met with resistance from the status quo political leaders.

Norm donated many hours of time and equipment to community projects in his hometown of Cuba. He had a hand in the Cuba Library expansion project, the flagpole project, the Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Garlic Festival and many other community based events and projects. In 2015 he was awarded Citizen of the Year by the Cuba Chamber of Commerce, and most recently the Chamber’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. He was also a lifetime member of the Cuba Rod & Gun Club, an active member of the Right Thinkers group and devoted lobster cook for the annual Lions Club steak & lobster bake.

Surviving are his children, Cindy (Bob) Gowiski and Cale (Laurie) Ungermann; sister-in-law, Geraldine; nieces and nephews, Charles Jr., Eugene, Mary, Jeff and Cathryn. He is also survived by eight grand/step grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren (with two more on the way) that referred to him as “Grandpa the Great” due to his large presence in all of our lives.

Norm was predeceased by his parents; his brothers, Richard and Charles; his sister-in-law, Belle; and nephew, Michael.

Friends will be received from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 26, 2026, at the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 24 Genesee Pkwy, Cuba. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026, in the funeral home. Burial will be in Cuba Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cuba Lions Club at P.O. Box 183, Cuba, NY 14727; or to the Cuba Circulating Library at 39 E. Main St., Cuba, NY 14727.

Online condolences may be made at www.LetroMcIntoshSpinkFuneralHome.com.