ForeverMissed
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Jong Pil Lee, loving father and husband, passionate promoter of math education and recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at the White House, passed away on Monday, December 12th, 2011 at his home in Syosset.  He was 74. 

Dr. Lee was born on March 18, 1937 in South Korea.  After receiving his BS degree, he walked into the office of Pan American Airlines in Seoul and told the manager he had a scholarship to receive a graduate education in America.  Impressed with the young man's earnestness, the manager issued an airline ticket on credit and Jong Pil Lee agreed to repay it back in monthly installments.

43 years later, that same earnest man who became a Distinguished Service Professor at the State University of New York at Old Westbury, walked into the White House to receive a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, one of only two mathematics professors in the nation to be so honored that year.

Dr. Lee always remembered the generosity of America and the colleagues around him who helped him along.  He was an unfailing idealist in a world of cynicism and so, he continuously thought about ways to give back to America. 

Some 25 years ago, when he heard a "national cry for better mathematics education," Dr. Lee called a meeting of leading math teachers on Long Island and went into action.  He founded an Institute of Leadership Training for Teaching Mathematics and Technology and an annual Long Island Mathematics Education Conference that has brought out over 10,000+ educators over the past 25 years.  One of his great accomplishments is the creation of the Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented Students, now beginning its 20th year on the Old Westbury campus.

Dr. Lee had a great capacity for love, a wonderful sense of humor, a child's curiosity, a belief that one person can make a difference and an ability to inspire others to accomplish great things.  He was a true believer in the American dream.

He is survived by his wife Myoung Hye, two daughters Lisa and Karen, and sons-in-law, Jun and Richard.  His sister Young Hee in Michigan, and two brothers Jong Pyo and Jong Soon in South Korea.  Even though he was a financially struggling graduate student in America, he also supported his younger siblings so that they could receive a better education.

Dr. Lee was a Distinguished Service Professor at the State University of New York at Old Westbury, President of the Long Island Mathematics Education Conference Board and was recently inducted into the New York State Mathematic Educators' Hall of Fame.

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In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following non-profit fund to support math education programs and promising young math students:
Old Westbury College Foundation Inc - Jong Pil Lee Memorial Fund
P.O. Box 210
Old Westbury, NY  11568

Please send any correspondence to the family by email: 
Lee Family 
8JPLBM@gmail.com
 

 

 

December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022
Dear Friends of Jong Lee.
Gone but not forgotten. Jong was quite assertive in apositive way. He also acknowledged any error ; in this he was different from most of us. This friend prays to Almighty to give Jong everlasting Peace
December 13, 2021
December 13, 2021
BUMP! Repeated post but bears repeating:
Thank you Dr. Lee for all those great Summer Institutes with Judy Broadwin in the early 1990s, they changed my life! I have been teaching the best and brightest at Baldwin SHS ever since because of you and Judy. Also, I make a point of never missing LIMACON! I think I've been going to this conference as a participant or presenter for nearly 35 years. What an honor and a privilege to have known you! Now that I was forced to retire in 2020 due to COVID, I'm still using all I learned teaching Calculus 1, 2 and 3 via zoom classes at NCC using Graphing Calculators, like Judy taught me, and now with Jupyter Notebooks too! Thanx for everything, A. Jorge García
December 12, 2021
December 12, 2021
Ten years later, and I still get choked up about Dr. Lee’s passing. What a tremendous human being. Forever missed, indeed.
December 12, 2021
December 12, 2021
Dear Friends and Family.
It is still sad to see Jong is absent now.
Jong Lee was a man of action not words only.
Due to this he was able to help people.
I think he was disappointed if others didn't act ornotfast enough but never showed it.
We can only pray for his continued Peace.
March 18, 2020
March 18, 2020
Dear Jong is fondly recalled .Hewas
hiding. a kind heart under an apparent rough exterior. Presumably to.prevent misuse.
As for St.Patrick Day Math teacher's Conference onor around his birthday he planned it with great care. In addition he was proud of his projects for HS. Students and others
This was for high performing ones.
He will be remembered for high standards
March 20, 2019
March 20, 2019
Dear Jongs birthday is almost St Patrick's Day in March .  This coincided with the  annual  event:-- Long Island MAth Conference LIMACON. Jong always put a a lot of time and effort into planning this event. The College looked like a Christmas Party !! Well known educators were  invited to be the Keynote speakers ; otherswere in attendance at  LIMACON. He isnowin Happy Pastures and looking at this eventMay he findEverlasting Peace
March 18, 2019
March 18, 2019
Forever grateful for all the lessons and encouragement to my beloved son.
You continue to be an inspiration in our lives.
December 12, 2018
December 12, 2018
I remember Dr. Lee so well. Together, we created brochures for his many special math conferences, programs and courses, becoming friends in the process. One day, he kindly and generously took a colleague and me to a Korean restaurant in Queens and smiled as we tasted the to-us-unfamiliar foods, all the while ordering more and different ones for us to savor.
November 10, 2017
November 10, 2017
Dr. Lee came to mind this morning as I reviewed some past documents at work. I can see him now greeting me in the hallway, always with a smile, and with an energy and positive approach to all things before him. I know I am not alone in missing those moments. Hard to believe its been nearly 6 years.
March 18, 2017
March 18, 2017
C
March 18th has been not just Jong Le's Birthday, but also the annual LIMACON.This is the Long Island Math Teachers Conference. He set muchvalue by this event , ehich was always well prepared and attended .He lives this way. May hefind everlasting Peace
December 14, 2016
December 14, 2016
Dr. Lee was a shining light, an example of the best possible human being.
December 12, 2016
December 12, 2016
Seasons Greetings from the Lee family! Dr. Lee's family has blossomed since his passing 5 years ago. Lisa's twins just turned 4 years old and Karen's daughters are 3.5 and 1.5 years old. We think about him all the time and we continue to find inspiration from him everyday! We see so many of his traits in our children - humor, curiosity, warmth, intellect, empathy, and a genuine love for others. We know he is watching over his beloved grandchildren with a smile, bursting with love and pride!
December 12, 2016
December 12, 2016
Jong Lee had akind heart that he disguised under a veil of strictness. Students and colleagues have benefitted from his ability to get things done for the goodof the SUNY/Colege@Old Westbury NY ;as well as their own. former Colleague
He is truly missed
rajan anantharaman=RARaman
March 31, 2016
March 31, 2016
My daughter attended Dr. Lee's program at Old Westbury and came home with enthusiasm and interesting problems. Thank you.
March 18, 2013
March 18, 2013
Dear Friends /Family of Jong:

I am/ was  a close friend of Jong Lee and still recall his very kind nature that he hid under a mask of strictness. He was loved by his students (in math) much . He will be missed by me R ARaman(short )
December 29, 2012
December 29, 2012
I just want thank Dr.Lee and his family for the opportunity that was given to my son Alan when he was accepted to the program.Through Dr.Lee starting the program for the gifted it opened many more doors for his future.Alan has not lost his love for mathematics and that shows by being accepted to MIT two weeks ago.Thanks again and my you rest in peace and your family find comfort.
October 11, 2012
October 11, 2012
Thought of you Dr. Lee this week as I (struggled) to help my son understand his latest mathematics assignment. You continue to be missed...
August 21, 2012
August 21, 2012
Thank you Dr. Lee for all those great Summer Institutes with Judy Broadwin, they changed my life. I have been teaching the best and brightest at Baldwin SHS ever since because of you and Judy. Also, I make a point of never missing LIMACON! I think I've been going to this conference as a participant or presenter for nearly 25 years. What an honor and a privilege to have known you!
January 17, 2012
January 17, 2012
Our 2 sons had the distinct privilege of attending Dr. Lee's Institute for Creative Problem Solving at Old Westbury. I will always remember with great fondness how he circulated among the parents and children each Saturday morning, full of enthusiasm and energy, absolutely sure of the rightness of what he was doing for these gifted children. Thank you and God bless you Dr. Lee.
December 20, 2011
December 20, 2011
Dr. Lee was such an incredible individual. It was an honor to be his student. He was such an optimistic and encouraging person. His lectures always had a moral at the end. Once he told us about himself coming to the United States and how he struggled. He told us we will have to as well. Nothing is easy, it's only up to us. We can either work hard or discourage ourselves from moving on.
December 17, 2011
December 17, 2011
All three of my children were fortunate to participate in the Institute, and the program changed our lives. It was a chance for them to grow academically, to forge friendships with like-minded peers, and to discover many new opportunities. This program indirectly led to my involvement with America's only Museum of Mathematics, and I hope to find a way to recognize Dr. Lee within MoMath.
December 16, 2011
December 16, 2011
I have worked with Dr. Lee in the Creative-Problem Solving Institute that he organized. He was a gentle, kind-hearted, gifted and professional math professor who will not be forgotten. Although his English was not always clear,it was not possible to say No to him. So at the risk of offending him, I volunteered anyway. His influence on all of us have made us better and will remain. May Our
December 16, 2011
December 16, 2011
I don't know if I'll ever meet anyone more honorable than Dr. Lee. My son had the high privilege of attending Dr. Lee's Institute; it was life-changing for him. I will always love Dr. Lee for that. I am grateful to his family for sharing him with us, and to all those that helped Dr. Lee's dreams become reality. The ripple effects of his life's work will go on forever.
December 15, 2011
December 15, 2011
It is not often in life you come across someone like Dr. Lee, a man purely motivated by his great passion and conviction to serve society. Although I will miss him forever, I will forever remember his message to never give up working hard to give back to society by helping to improve the mathematics education in America. He was a great man whose impact on my life is eternal.
December 14, 2011
December 14, 2011
Dr. Lee, to you; my eternal gratitude for inspiring my son and being an awesome role model . I did not have the honor of knowing you in person, yet, I feel I knew you through his admiration and praise of your wonderful character. Your love and passion for teaching begot a future math professor. Thank you. To your family; may you all find strength in his love and each other. God bless you!
December 13, 2011
December 13, 2011
Dr. Lee will absolutely be missed. My son was one of the many many children who benefitted from his program, his supportive words and his commitment to creative problem solving. As parents we enjoyed working with him and admired his resolve in continuing to bring this program to gifted children across long island absolutely free of charge. He will be missed.
December 13, 2011
December 13, 2011
Dr. Lee is the reason why I became a math major in the first place. His passion for teaching math and love for his students to do well was beyond measure. He would always greet you with a smile and treat you as one of his children. What I remember about him most is his humor. He lived life to the fullest. He will be missed. God Bless you Dr. Lee. You can finally rest and be with God.
December 13, 2011
December 13, 2011
Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (NIV)
Dr. Lee, you will live in our hearts and memories! Doing Maths can be very fun.
December 13, 2011
December 13, 2011
What a fine gentleman and an excellent mathematics educator. I have personally known Jong for well over 30 years. He will be immensely missed and his dedication to mathematics education was greatly appreciated. He will live on in all of our hearts and memories.

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Recent Tributes
December 22, 2022
December 22, 2022
Dear Friends of Jong Lee.
Gone but not forgotten. Jong was quite assertive in apositive way. He also acknowledged any error ; in this he was different from most of us. This friend prays to Almighty to give Jong everlasting Peace
December 13, 2021
December 13, 2021
BUMP! Repeated post but bears repeating:
Thank you Dr. Lee for all those great Summer Institutes with Judy Broadwin in the early 1990s, they changed my life! I have been teaching the best and brightest at Baldwin SHS ever since because of you and Judy. Also, I make a point of never missing LIMACON! I think I've been going to this conference as a participant or presenter for nearly 35 years. What an honor and a privilege to have known you! Now that I was forced to retire in 2020 due to COVID, I'm still using all I learned teaching Calculus 1, 2 and 3 via zoom classes at NCC using Graphing Calculators, like Judy taught me, and now with Jupyter Notebooks too! Thanx for everything, A. Jorge García
December 12, 2021
December 12, 2021
Ten years later, and I still get choked up about Dr. Lee’s passing. What a tremendous human being. Forever missed, indeed.
His Life

10 years of sharing stories, celebrating his life and values and joy

December 12, 2021
Unbelievably it is 10 years since our father has passed. While we continue to miss him everyday, we also are so grateful to him as we raise our families and are able to share stories including lessons of determination, love for America, family and friends and the importance of service and joy. The grandkids are all thriving despite the pandemic and the many traits of their grandpa continue to exhibit themselves today including his silly streak! We know their grandpa is proudly watching from heaven with a twinkle in his eye and acting as their angel in quiet and thoughtful ways and of course he lovingly thinking of all of you too!  

We wish everyone a healthy, happy holiday season and hoping everyone has big dreams for 2022! 

Recent stories
March 18, 2018

Jong.Lee had a special  way to.communicate:in his teaching,or interaction with others. I  recall his 

teaching of "GoodMorning",to students as well as to

participants ofthe L.I.M.A.C.O. N annual teacher 's

Conference.He  will be remembered for the energy.he put in to this event. 

December 12, 2017

Jong Lee  had a kind heart   within  that he hid under  a strict   outer coat so to speak.  He  loved his students    ; they always  loved him in return.Jong  had the remarkable  ability to accept his errors  but  tomoveon helping someone on the way. Instead of " declaring his  religion" he went out of his way to help.I/we  are grateful recipients of his kind help many times
May he find Everlasting Peace

1st anniversary

December 12, 2012

I really miss Dr.Lee. I keep a picture of him in my office at SUNY College at Old Westbury as well as in the Television Studio. Dr. Lee will ALWAYS be remembered. I am still in dibelief of his passing and somehow still hope that he will come down the halls again and into the TV Studio. Heaven has an angel.

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