Samuel M. Matsa passed away at 91 after a long, productive and respected life.
Sam was born in Athens, Greece in 1933 to Morris and Lucie Matsa. Sam was a hidden child during the Holocaust, living for two years with his parents and nanny Katarina in the attic of the home of a widow named Berta Stephanopoulou. This experience colored the rest of Sam’s life and he was active in sharing his stories as a Holocaust survivor and acknowledging the Righteous whose help was critical in saving lives during the Holocaust.
Sam was an ardent pursuer of knowledge, excelling as a student, speaking 9 languages, and learned everything he could on any topic that interested him. He attended Athens College, a K-12 school, which still has a plaque in the lobby commemorating his record academic achievement as the highest ranking student ever in the school. Sam came to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar in 1952 to study electrical engineering at Purdue University and graduated with Very Highest Distinction. He attended MIT for all his graduate work and was recruited by IBM in Cambridge. Sam remained at IBM for 43 years in many varied positions and divisions. He founded the IBM Scientific Center in Manhattan, contributed to the development of computers in their early stages, and traveled the world for IBM. Together with Andy Van Dam, Sam formed the ACM Special Interest Committee on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques (SIC-GRAPH) in 1967. The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, with two days honoring Sam at Brown University.
Sam shared his love of learning with others working on scientific literacy and computer knowledge. In 1957 Sam was the General Chairman of ACMHO (the Association for Computing Machinery) at the New York Hilton. He was a fellow of the NY Academy of Sciences and the chairman of the Academy’s Section of Computer & Information Sciences. Sam developed an education program for IBM that would fund K-12 schools all over the country, programs that would encourage and enhance learning. He was instrumental in the development of the education movements Micro Society and the Coalition of Essential Schools and later joined their boards. Sam was a judge for many years for the National Science Foundation grants in Washington, D.C. He planned and conducted twice monthly scientific literacy graduate seminars at Columbia University along with Dr. Samuel Devons. He has been cited in many books and articles in recognition of his contributions to the greater education, scientific and computing worlds.
Sam’s Jewish and Greek heritage were incredibly important to him. He belonged and served as chairman and president of the boards in multiple synagogues throughout his life, including Temple Sinai in Forest Hills, Temple Beth Am in Yorktown, and his beloved Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue, a landmark Greek Synagogue in Manhattan and acted as the rabbi when the rabbi was traveling. Sam was just as passionate about learning more about Judaism as any other topic, starting right after Passover to prepare for next year’s Seder. Sam and Perry were docents at the Hebrew Union College Museum. Sam was instrumental, along with Shohoma Weiner, in the founding of the Academy for Jewish Religion. He loved music of all kinds, from opera to jazz, including singing Greek, French, Hebrew and Ladino songs until the end of his life.
Sam was active in the Yorktown community. With his wife Perry they were instrumental in the starting and the success of the Yorktown Teen Center, where he served as Treasurer.
Sam loved his family, his friends, all people, playing and teaching backgammon (Tavli in Greek), and double expressos with Sambuca at 10 p.m. He is survived by his loving wife Perry, children, grandchildren, family in Greece, colleagues and friends.
Donations in Memory of Samuel Matsa can be made to the Holocaust Museum or Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue.
Arrangements were by Yorktown Funeral Home.
