Esteemed mathematician and professor, fervent amateur theological philosopher, Holocaust survivor, Dr. Leo Chosid passed away at 80 in Nyack, New York on Nov 15 .

He is survived by his devoted wife, Jean Tare, his daughter Jessica Rebecca Chosid, sons, David Maimonides Chosid (Ashley Gaffney) and Raab Rashi Chosid (Sara), grandchildren, Ber Talgam Cohen and Lila Olivia Kelly Chosid, brother-in-law, Danny Schott (Caroline), and stepchildren Beowulf, Grendel and Krizzia Mae. Leo was married to Carol Chosid, nee Schott, from 1964-2001 and remained close until her death in 2020.

Leo arrived in New York City as a 7-year-old Jewish Lithuanian refugee from a displaced persons camp in Germany, along with his parents, Bronia and Paul Chosid. They settled in the Bronx. His first taste of American freedom was a street hot dog and bottle of Coca Cola and he never looked back. He couldn’t speak English but could communicate in the international language of mathematics and so his path began.

Leo was Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at NYC College of Technology (CUNY) in Brooklyn, for over 40 years. He held advanced degrees from New York University, Cornell University and City University of New York (CUNY). He taught Applied Mathematics and Statistics but had a particular interest in applications of probability.

In line with his Talmudic upbringing, Leo relished lively debates and believed in argument as the only true method of communication towards agreement, or not. For a two-year period, he was intellectually consumed by the theories of civilization written by Yuval Noah Harari. More recently, he was driven by the existential question of Chance and G-d, the differences between the two, if there were any.

Leo’s driving technique was so defensive, some considered it offensive. He was never boring. He could make you laugh, inspire you or enrage you, and sometimes all three within a 5-minute conversation.

Leo was a fan of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Tom Lehrer, most Doowop and Broadway showtunes. He happened to be a very good dancer. He loved the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and thought Marilyn Monroe was wonderful. He maintained that women were more interesting than men throughout his life.

He found it amusing that he was on a FBI Watch List in the 1980s due to his constant ordering of math books from the Soviet Union to Dumont, NJ where he lived and raised his children with wife Carol. He later lived in Nyack, NY with his wife Jean.

The void of his big personality is felt, as he was often referred to as “The Leo Show” by his children. New York has lost a great character, intellect, and analytical thinker. He was loved by his family and his family also knows how much he loved them.

A memorial will be held Sunday, November 20, at 11AM at Hannemann Funeral Home, 88 South Broadway, Nyack, NY.