Lillian Kovar

Lillian Cohen Kovar, 95, a sociologist and professor emerita at Bronx Community College of the City University of New York, died July 17th, 2014 in Macungie, Pennsylvania. A native of Pottstown, PA, Dr. Kovar was the daughter of Abraham and Yetta Markowitz Cohen. She earned a bachelor's degree from Temple University and a MA in 1942 and a PhD in sociology from the University of Chicago in 1948. She was previously on the faculty at Bard College, the University of Michigan, ans was a fellow at the William Alanson White Institute.
Dr. Kovar wrote "Faces of the Adolescent Girl", "Wasted Lives: A Study of Children in Mental Hospitals and Their Families" and "Here to Complete Dr. King's Dream: The Triumphs and Failures of a Community College". The latter documented life at an inner-city college serving low income and first generation college students. She was a long-time resident of New York City and northern New Jersey.
She had a vibrant spirit and sense of adventure and loved traveling the world, modern art, New York City, and fighting for social justice. In addition, she was an accomplished artist in the postmodern style. In the last years of her life found extraordinary joy spending time with her young grandson.
She was married to Dr. Leo Kovar who died in 2009. They are survived by their three children, Naomi, Joshua, and Rachel Kovar; Joshua's wife Deborah Andrus and their son Eli; and by her sister Sylvia Cohen, as well as by nieces, nephews and cousins. Her parents and two brothers predeceased.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Democratic National Committee in her memory. A memorial is being planned for late summer.