Lou died of lymphoma Feb. 19, 2021, in Pittsburgh at age 87. 

Born June 21, 1933, in the farming village of Sant’ Andrea, Italy, Lou immigrated to America in 1937 on a ship with his mother and brothers to join his father, a laborer in Brooklyn. Lou transitioned well to his new language and urban surroundings, excelling academically while working odd jobs to help with the family bills. 

Lou began studies at the Cooper Union, but left to help support his family. He enlisted in the Army and was sent to Germany to apply his technical skills working on radar equipment. He attended City College of New York on the GI Bill and, sponsored by RCA, earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Princeton in 1962. While attending Princeton, Lou’s frequent trips to see his future wife in Brooklyn earned him the nickname “The Princeton Flash.”

Lou worked for 30 years at RCA’s David Sarnoff Research Center. He held many patents and did pioneering work in the development of flat-panel television technology. 

Predeceased by his wife, Marge, Lou is survived by sons Paul, James, and Andrew; siblings Joseph, Victoria, and Antoinette; and eight grandchildren.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.