Leonard Zyzyck, who had been a manager of technology at the Colgate-Palmolive Co., died July 18, 2018, at home in Princeton after a battle of almost four years with lung cancer. He was 75.
Born in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1943, Zyzyck was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War and served as a helicopter crew chief in Germany. With lifelong friends in the military, he made an annual pilgrimage to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to remember friends who had not survived the war.
His military service was a turning point in his life, and he left the Army determined to complete his education. In 1973, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Lehman College, and in 1983 he earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton.
Most of Zyzyck’s career was spent at Colgate-Palmolive, where his favorite activity was overseeing lab experiments. Before Colgate he did research for the American Can Co. He was known for saying that a smart person doesn’t get bored. He had many interests, including music and hiking. For many years, he was a member of the Princeton Astronomy Association.
He is survived by his wife, Randee; two daughters; and a grandson.
Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.