Leonard Moskovit

Leonard Moskovit passed away July 6, 2016 at the age of 93. He was preceded in death by his wife, Harriet Templer Moskovit. He is survived by his daughter, Mimi Moskovit Ito and his son-in-law, Tatsuo Ito. Leonard was born November 27, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Harry Jack Moskovit and Marie Ange Loretta Ida LaPierre Moskovit. He attended primary schools in New York City and graduated from high school in Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1940.

In 1942, he attended RCA Institutes in New York where he trained as a radio operator. From 1943 to 1949 he served in the Merchant Marines. He held U.S. Radio Telegraph (first class) and Radio Telephone (second class) licenses. He made trips to England, the Mediterranean and the Far East. He held the rank of lieutenant in the U.S. Maritime Services and was designated a veteran of World War II.

After the war, he visited several countries in Europe. He spent four years in France and while cycling there, he met and married his wife-to-be, Harriet Templer. Their daughter, Mimi, was born in Paris. When he returned to the U.S., he attended the University of California in Berkeley, obtaining a B.A. (1937), M.A. (1959) and P.H.D. (1963), all in English. From 1962 to 1988, he taught in the English Department at the University of Colorado. He published articles and reviews on Horace, Dryden, Pope, Maugham, English usage and rhetoric as well as a book of verse translations of odes by Horace. He later translated the novel "Telémaque" by Fénelon from French to English.

From age 50 on he enjoyed long distance running and sometimes race walking. He also guided a weekly literature class at Golden West Manor from 1990 to 2002. He read many books every month, both fiction and current affairs. He studied Latin, French, German and Hebrew. He had a great concern for political and social issues and often wrote letters and made donations related to his concerns. He loved animals and had several pets, mostly dogs. He had a wonderful sense of humor and regaled everyone with his jokes.

Donations in Leonard's name can be made to the following organizations: FLAME (Facts and Logic About the Middle East) P.O. Box 590359, San Francisco, CA 94159, factsandlogic.org; Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, PO Box 35490, Tucson, AZ 85740, www.ironwoodpigsanctuary.org. or Build House (made out to Berkeley Youth Living with Disabilities), 1716 Milvia St. Berkeley CA 94710, www.buildhouse.org. Please visit www.cristmortuary.com to share memories and condolences.