Remembering Dr. Hilbert “Hilly” Levitz (1931–2025)
It is with great sadness that the Florida State University Department of Computer Science announces the passing of Professor Emeritus Dr. Hilbert “Hilly” Levitz. Dr. Levitz served as a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at FSU from 1969 until his retirement in 2003. He was a dedicated teacher, scholar, and colleague who will be deeply missed.
The following biography is obtained from Dr. Levitz’s obituary page.
Hilbert “Hilly” Levitz was born on November 13, 1931, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and died in Jacksonville, Florida on December 7, 2025, at the age of 94. Raised in a religious Jewish family, Hilly was the youngest of five siblings. He had two brothers, Azar, who passed away at a young age, and Albert, and two sisters, Rachael (Stadiem) and Sarah (Schneider.) Their parents, Sam and Lena Levitz, were immigrants from Lithuania, bringing with them the traditions and heritage of Eastern Europe. Sam Levitz along with his brother, RB, was the founder of Levitz Furniture.
After graduating from high school, Hilly pursued higher education at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Upon completing his college studies, he was drafted into the Army. He was stationed just outside New York City, where he taught electronics to fellow soldiers, sharing his technical expertise and contributing to the military community.
Following his military service, Hilly assisted his family in opening a meat business in Buffalo, New York, dedicating several years to this endeavor. His passion for learning led him to enroll at Penn State University, where he studied mathematics. Hilly’s academic journey took him to Germany, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation under the guidance of Kurt Schutte in the field of mathematical logic. He earned his PhD in 1965.
Hilly began his teaching career at New York University, serving as a mathematics instructor from 1965 to 1969. He then relocated to Tallahassee, Florida, where he was a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Florida State University from 1969 until 2003. One of his students remembered Hilly’s ability to explain something as abstruse as theory of automata with amazing clarity. Throughout his career, Hilly demonstrated a visionary approach to technology and education, anticipating the transformative impact of the internet.
As a forward-thinker and advocate for digital access, Hilly was a founder of the Tallahassee Freenet. This organization provided free internet access and served as a community computer network and early internet provider in Tallahassee, Florida, operating from 1993 to 2007. The Tallahassee Freenet offered free local and global information services, supporting government, educational, and community resources.
Hilly enjoyed traveling, with New York and Germany among his favorite destinations. He had a particular fondness for art museums, especially the Metropolitan Museum in New York. In addition to his appreciation for art, Hilly liked swimming and taking long walks, both in cities and in nature, reflecting his love for exploration and activity.
Hilbert “Hilly” Levitz is survived by his son, David Levitz; his former wife and best friend, Kate Levitz; nephew Terry Schneider and spouse, Laura Newton, and a large extended family of nieces and nephews, and his devoted caregivers, Cynthia and Gary Griffin. He will be remembered for his commitment to education, community, and the advancement of technology.
Remembrances from Colleagues
Randolph Langley: I knew Hilbert Levitz for a long time. I had the singular good luck to work with him for a number of years; he was one of the best people I have ever met, and one of the most engaging conversationalists I have ever known. It is hard for me to single out facets of someone who was so profoundly multifaceted. He certainly taught me much in the classroom, but he contributed so much more. His philanthropy included giving extensively to Tallahassee; I worked with him during the long period where he served as the Director of Tallahassee FreeNet. This was a major project that brought together a vast network of volunteers; he built it on strong partnerships with Leon County Libraries and Florida State University’s Supercomputer Computations Research Institute. It took him a great deal of time and effort to create and sustain this long-term project, and it contributed greatly to the Tallahassee community. He had a remarkably wide set of life experiences; he possessed a vast knowledge across numerous areas and was remarkably well-read. He could deeply discuss so many subject areas, and his grasp of history made every conversation and lecture valuable. I have rarely met anyone who could motivate everything from a proof to a course of action through such a deep knowledge of what has come before and where we can take it next. It’s rare to come across anyone who contributed so much to making our world a better place.
Yu Wang: I am sad to hear of Dr. Levitz’s passing. I took his Theory of Automata in 2000. He was one of the best teachers in the field. He was also on my master’s degree committee. I liked chatting with him and listening to him talk about his son, David, when he was attending McGill University, and later moved to Germany to become a journalist. When he learned that I lived in Jacksonville for a few years, he told me that he and his wife used to host German visiting ballet students in Jacksonville. When he retired, he left many books with us. We put them in our lab for students to use.
Dan Schwartz: It was sad to hear the news about Hilly, but I knew from his wife, Kate, that he had been suffering from Alzheimers for several years. The last time I saw him he complained about losing his memory. I knew both Hilly and Kate, had dinner at their house once or twice, and wound up buying that house from them when they moved to Killearn Estates. Also, Hilly was a good friend and colleague. We had a similar background in mathematical logic and had many interesting lunch time conversations. I briefly met his son, David, and know that Hilly was quite proud of him. I think that he had a good life. Rest in Peace, Hilly.
Ted Baker: The most salient things I remember about Hilly are his good heart, and humility. In every human interaction he came across as charitable, truly wanting to help other people. I don’t recall him ever expressing a negative thought. He also was a true scholar, motivated by a desire for understanding rather than ego, and a true teacher, who made every effort to find ways to get ideas across to students.
David Whalley: I knew Hilly since I started at FSU in 1990. He was very collegial. I remember he had a positive outlook on life and had good comments to say about almost everyone he knew. My wife, Jiraporn, was friends with his wife, Kate. I believe his son, David, was comparable in age to my daughter, Arada. I remember he came back to the department once and was surprised that we had so many new CS faculty members. He seemed in good spirits even though he was staying in some type of assisted living facility. I will miss him.
Chris Lacher: We lost another great one. I think that every interaction I had with Hilly raised my admiration and esteem for him another notch. There were many.
Lois Hawkes: I first met Hilly when I came to FSU in 1980 – one of my fondest memories of him was seeing him and his beloved dog every morning walking on campus. That image captured his calm and refined self. Hilly always added a sense of the truly academic to the department. I never knew him to complain, and was always willing to contribute in any way he could. He was above all, a gentleman.