Good Neighbors of Park Slope mourns the loss of our member David Leveson, who passed away at home on March 15th, at the age of 84.  David was a unique individual, admired and loved by friends, colleagues, and students who collectively attended his standing-room only memorial service at our local Ethical Culture building in April.
 
Some people are smart, some are nice, some are fun to be with, -- David was all of these.  His career as a geology professor at Brooklyn College spanned half a century, combining research, development of on-line courses, and teaching. He was beloved by his students, this writer among them, and admired by his fellow faculty members.
 
David was passionate about teaching, and assiduously avoided the departmental chairmanship, despite his seniority, in order to maintain contact with his students. His devotion to teaching is indirectly illustrated by a few quotes from the "Rate My Professor" web site:
 
            Guy's awesome, really cool Brit, …
 
            Brilliant! A wonderful prof. who really knows how to teach.
               
Very nice man, he is one of the best profs. in the Geo department. He really knows how to teach and make everything easy to understand. GREAT Professor. A MUST take!!
 
Open minded and sincere, when he is wrong unlike most of his colleagues he recognizes that he was wrong!!!! When he doesn't know the answer he doesn't try to baffle you with outlandish stuff, instead he does say that he doesn't know the answer, and he investigates it with you! GREAT SCHOLAR.
 
He is so old! I feel sorry that he's still teaching. Nice man.
 
David was an accomplished photographer and author. In 1972 his first book "A Sense of the Earth”, published in 1971, was nominated for a National Book Award and is still in print today.  Upon his retirement from Brooklyn College in 2007 he and his wife Meg joined a group of artists to found The Longyear Gallery, located in Margaretville, NY, a mile from their beloved Weedwild country home, where he and Meg enjoyed over four decades of rural retreat, along with their  cats, their daughter Bessie, and numerous guests. A special thrill was being with Bessie and Will’s adorable daughter Annabelle.
 
David continued to write and, upon his death, had completed two books, one of which was a partly fictionalized memoir he had been working on for over 50 years. 

He will continue to be deeply missed by all who knew him.
 
Arnold Wendroff

Good Neighbors of Park Slope mourns the passing of its member Tom Hanks. Tom was married
for over 50 years to our friend and neighbor Sheila Hanks. He lived on 10th Street between 6th
and 7th Avenues for over 40 years, and exemplified what it meant to be a Good Neighbor. Upon
joining Good Neighbors Tom and Sheila were happy to re-connect with members that they knew
from their earliest days in Park Slope.
Tom had survived a serious illness in 2010 and resumed his active life in the community,
including enjoying five years of working out at the Cross Fit Gym. A very important part of his life
was his 30-year plus involvement in the Prayer Ministry at Brooklyn Tabernacle. The service
there in celebration of his life was attended by more than 400 congregation members. Tom and
Sheila’s daughter Amanda gave an extemperaneous and moving eulogy to her beloved Dad.
As a long time-friend of the Hanks family I can say that I never saw Tom when he did not have a
warm smile and sincere greeting and interest in what was going on. He will be very missed; we
know that Sheila will find strength and support in her family, her friends, her block neighbors,
and GNPS hopes that she knows that our groups and activities are there to help.
Tom is survived by Sheila, Amanda and his much