Harold Mechanic of Chestnut Ridge, NY passed away peacefully on March 25, 2022 at the age of 89. Growing up in the Bronx, NY, he graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics from City College and then went on to earn an M.A. in Mathematics from Columbia University. He developed some of the original algorithms used for fingerprint recognition and worked on mathematical simulations of nuclear radiation enabling safer handling of radioactive material. ‘Handsome Hal' as he was dubbed, worked for most of his career at IBM, first as a systems analyst and then as a strategist. He had an uncanny ability to clearly see where technology was headed far into the future. Over a decade before the internet came to be, he would press IBM to ensure that all of their computers must and will inevitably need to be on a single interconnected network standard. He was extremely handy and creative. If he didn't have a tool for something, he would make one. With incredible patience, he reveled in teaching his family about everything from airplanes and the space program, to all aspects of computer science, and was always there to help with math homework. Harold was an avid reader of the news, and utilizing his tremendous and intricate knowledge base, could successfully debate on almost any topic. Over the years he enjoyed planning many family trips both big and small, and has given us a lifetime of fond memories. He liked to snorkel and dive in the waters of the Caribbean, where we would travel often. He loved to chat up everyone, everywhere he would go. The owners of his local Chinese restaurant considered him family, and he couldn't step foot into the supermarket without hearing a resounding "Hi Hal!" from all who worked there. Soft spoken and kind, he always had tremendous compassion for others. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. His face would light up while watching his granddaughters perform on stage, and he would laugh as he sang the tunes long afterward, usually off-key. He was predeceased by his wife Miriam, and is survived by his daughter Laura and her husband Anthony of Hastings on Hudson, NY and his son David and his wife Michele of East Hampton, NY. He was the beloved pop pop of Rachel and Sarah. Donations in his name can be made to The American Cancer Society