John Bligh
- Retired teacher
- UFT founder
“Leo Hoenig, a founder of this union, was a great man. We are just caretakers of what he and other retirees built,” said UFT Secretary LeRoy Barr at a June 13, 2023, meeting of the union’s Retired Teachers Chapter, of which Leo was an active member.
“From his earliest days as a teacher in 1958, two years before the 1960 strike, Leo Hoenig was always a staunch unionist,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said at the dedication ceremony in 2019 when Leo’s name was added to the union’s Wall of Honor. Leo was recognized for helping create the UFT at a time when union supporters risked losing their jobs for that advocacy.
Leo died on June 3, 2023, at age 86.
“Leo was active in the union up until the last few months,” Barr said. “I am honored to say I had the opportunity to know him, and he added to my life. Leo reminded me of the great work that came before and the shoulders that we stand on.”
Leo taught social studies and journalism at JHS 168 in District 25 in Fresh Meadows, Queens, for 33 years. In addition to being a dedicated teacher, he led every strike in his district, attended every union rally, worked phone banks, lobbied in Albany and attended the union’s Delegate Assemblies from 1958 until long into his retirement. Leo was a chapter leader for 25 years and was also the first District 25 chairman and treasurer.
“Leo was charismatic and generous with his time and stories,” said UFT District 25 Representative Lamar Hughes, who met Leo through union activities more than a decade ago. “You always found yourself wanting to sit at his table. He told us stories of the early strikes — 1960, 1968 — and it gave me a background for understanding the union’s history.”
Hughes said it was leaders like Leo Hoenig who forged the path for today’s UFT members. “We need to remember the sacrifices of previous generations so we have a clearer vision of what our own focus should be as unionists,” he said.
Eliú Lara, a retired teacher and Bronx high school representative, remembered Leo as “always giving good advice.” Lara became friends with Leo and his wife, also a retired teacher and longtime UFT member. Over the years, Lara brought Leo to meet his new chapter leaders and delegates because “I was always trying to support and inspire my chapter leaders and who could be more important than the founders — they are the best! They passed through great difficulty to bring us where we are now.”
Current union members, Lara said, benefit from the previous generation’s hard work. “Whatever we have now, someone paid the price for — and this was the person who paid that price,” Lara said of Leo.
Leo graduated from Queen’s College with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in American history.
Leo was interested in genealogy and did extensive research on his and his wife’s families. He also taught Si Beagle classes in genealogy through the union’s Retired Teachers Chapter, his daughter Helene said.
Leo was active on the housing committee of his co-op building and in the Free Sons of Israel, Gad-Zebulon Chapter, the oldest Jewish fraternal benefit order for men and women in the United States.
Leo advocated for better access to public transportation in his Lower East Side neighborhood and succeeded in getting a new bus line that serves the area.
Leo is survived by his wife of 55 years, Doris; their two children, Gail Cutler and Helene Hoenig; sons-in-law Richard Cutler and Louis Libert; and two grandchildren, Max and Emelia Cutler.
Donations can be made in Leo’s memory to the Lower East Side Hatzalah Volunteer Ambulance Corps at www.leshatzalah.org.
Belated condolences to all who knew and loved Leo from a distant member of Leo’s family in Manchester, United Kingdom. I sadly never got to meet him but his reputation lives on and I am proud to call him a relative.
RIP Mr Hoenig. Thank you for starting that flame that keeps burning in me and researching my family tree.
My condolences to his wife Doris. Ms.Lovett as I remember her. She was my French teacher at Parsons JHS when they got engaged. I had no idea that Mr. Hoenig was a union leader.
Wow! Leo Honig…He was my Social Studies Teacher in Parsons Jr. High School back 1968 & 1969. I remember both him and my Spanish Teacher, Rosalyn Oral (at that time) found my Slam Book – a notebook filled with typical teen-age – coming of age things that were definitely NOT meant for adults to read. After Mr. Honig and Ms. Oral presented the Slam Book to my Parents on one PT Conference Evening…I was told that I needed to apologize to Mrs. Oral and Mr. Honig the very next day, which I did….Anyway, years later, I visited Mr. Honig at Parsons Jr. High School, and expressed to him that I was going to study to become a Teacher. Well, at a later date in life, I became a Paraprofessional first, and then an Early Childhood Teacher for a total of 31 years (I retired from District 30, P.S. 148 July, 2022. One fine quality I remember about Mr. Honig…His door was always opened, he was always availale to talk to a student, especially when they were in need of advice…Junior High School is and was a tough time for many “kids:, Mr. Honig was there for us “kids” ….. Mr. Honig DID make a difference, and showed his students many paths !
We had great memories at 168. May you rest in peace.
Mrs. Cherry and daughter.
I was reading my wife’s UFT magazine (she is a retired Teaching Assistant) when I came across the notice regarding Leo Hoenig. I was a student at Parsons Junior HS from September 1963 – June 1966. From there, I attended John Bowne HS (where I was a member of the rifle team!), Queens College (chemistry major), and SUNY Downstate Medical School. Leo Hoenig was my homeroom, social studies, and journalism teacher, and his wife was my French teacher (Miss Lovett?) shortly before they were married.
During those years, Mr. Hoenig (that’s the name I had to use) was employed at the Long Island Press newspaper, and we visited the paper’s office, which was not far from the school. However, the most memorable things about Leo from those years were the incredibly wide ties that he would supply to those of us guys dumb enough to come to school without one (there was a dress code in those days); and the huge bathroom pass that you had to lug around, if you could get past the embarrassment and had the physical strength to do so.
I note the mention of the Free Sons of Israel. My parents were members (I don’t know which chapter), and I received schlarship money for 4 years during college and medical school. I recall that the amount was only a few hundred dollars per year; however, in those days, it more than paid for fees/books (there was no tuition) at Queens College, and paid almost one-third of the tuition at SUNY Downstate! My mom passed about a year ago just shy of her 93rd birthday, and was buried at the Free Sons site at New Montifiore next to my dad, who died in 1969.
Please feel free to contact me, as I may have other memories that the family might find of interest.
I first met Leo at a Delegate Assembly meeting, where he informed me that he was writing a book about my family. He was a
strong man with a big heart and a good sense of humor. He was also a man of strong character. To paraphrase his friend, the late Ely Cohen, Leo was deep, he knew a lot of things and would keep digging until he found what he was looking for. I am glad to have known him and shared some good stories and jokes with him.
It was a pleasure to take his genealogy class at the Si Beagle. Even though I didn’t know him that long, he seems like a very nice person. May he S.I.P.
I first met Leo on a Jet Blue flight to Seattle to attend the AFT convention. I noticed he had his
“Resolutions “ booklet to study the material, so naturally I began to talk to him. We had a great conversation about NYC schools, the UFT and union activism in general.
During our conversation , I discovered that Leo had attended the same school that I taught in—PS123K in Brooklyn. He only spent a few years in 123, but spoke fondly about his time there.
I would seek Leo at subsequent conventions, delegate assemblies and RTC events. I always enjoyed his company . He will be missed. I am sure that he and George Altomare are leading a heavenly chorus of “Solidarity Forever”.
May the memories of Leo be a comfort and blessing to his family and fellow UFT members.
I met Leo when he taught genealogy for the s.i. si beagle learning center. He was a bright and interesting man as well as a staunch unionists. We need more Leo’s to lead today’s union. May he rest in peace.
What a gentleman!! Leo, you will be missed. Thanks for your work, Sir! May Allah be pleased with you.
Thank you so much, Maguere!!!
He was a wonderful person, caring and thoughtful. At least I have a chance to say goodbye. I will miss him,he is in better place.
The joy your father brought to the world will never be forgotten. May you’ll always feel his love and pride.