45°
STAMFORD, Conn. - Harold Trachtenburg, a resident of Stamford since 1951, died Friday, June 21. He was 85.
Trachtenburg was born Sept. 17, 1927, in Danbury, to Jacob and Anna Shalita Trachtenburg. He graduated from Danbury High School in 1945 and enrolled in Tufts University. He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a member of the Army of Occupation in Italy (1946 to 1947). He later returned to Tufts University to complete his undergraduate work and graduated in 1950.
Trachtenburg joined American Cyanamid as a research chemist. In 1955 he embarked on a career in education, teaching math and science at J.M. Wright Technical School in Stamford. In 1961 he graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a master's degree in education. Over the next 31 years, he taught mathematics at Central Middle School in Greenwich.
During this tenure there, he received six National Science Foundation grants: Tufts University (1959), University of Southern California (1961), University of Illinois (1962 and 1965), and Yeshiva University (1964). In 1965 he received his sixth year certificate in mathematics. While at Central Middle School, he coached the Boys' and the Girls' track teams. For many years he served as Head of the Mathematics Department and for two of those years he was the coordinator of Mathematics for the three middle schools in Greenwich. He was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award in 1987. He retired in 1992. After his retirement he continued to tutor math, teaching young people.
Trachtenburg is survived by his wife, Carolyn; brothers-in-law, Anthony Vitti and Michael Dante; sisters-in-law, Rose Sette, Yolande Horan; nephews, nieces; and grand nephew and grand nieces. He was predeceased by brothers, Martin and Leonard; sister, Eleanor Caram; and nephew, Richard Gibson Trachtenburg.
A private funeral service was held in Old Saybrook and officiated by Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg. A celebration of Trachtenburg's life will be held at a later date.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.
