David Markowitz

David Markowitz, 87, of Storrs, CT, died on March 8, 2023, after a battle with heart failure.

David spent his childhood in Brooklyn, NY, and was the first in his family to attend college. He received his bachelor’s degree from MIT and his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was a long-time member of the faculty in the Department of Physics at the University of Connecticut, studying superconductors and the effects of impurities. For many years, even after retiring, David edited the physics department newsletter as well as the newsletter for the American Physical Society, which included his own brand of physics humor. He was devoted to inspiring the next generation of physicists and served as the emcee for the Sigma Pi Sigma induction ceremony.

With his wife, Carolanne (who died in 2007), David traveled to many far-flung places, from Chilean Patagonia to the Arctic Circle, writing travelogs to accompany her photographs. He was an avid participant in UConn’s Center for Learning in Retirement for many years, as well as a contributor to the environmental organization Joshua’s Trust. A fan of intellectual subjects, David enjoyed reading history and literature, listening to opera, engaging in physics and math puzzles, and watching Jeopardy!

David is survived by his brother, Joel (Michele) Markowitz; his children, Paul (Shari) Markowitz, Audrey (Isaac) Markowitz, and Carol (Sherry) Kassel; and five grandchildren. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 1:00 pm EDT at 33 Sherwood Street, Storrs, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, jorgensen.uconn.edu, or Joshua’s Trust, joshuastrust.org.