Daniel H Plotnick

Daniel H Plotnick, 65, of Wyckoff, NJ, passed away on February 17, 2026 after a one-year battle with cancer. Dan was a loving partner and husband to Catherine Ming Chow for 47 years and father to Esther Plotnick and Wen Plotnick.

Daniel grew up in Freeport, NY, on Long Island, where he discovered a love for competition math under Mr. Joe Holbrook at Freeport High School. Daniel went on to graduate from Harvard College in Mathematics, where he met his wife Ming. Daniel then worked on novel solutions for educational software development with his friends and colleagues at Instructional Systems Inc. for over 40 years. Daniel returned to competition math as a volunteer and coach at the Bergen County Math Team for the past 15 years. He was especially proud of the dedication of his students, who competed at national and international levels.

Daniel was devoted to his family. Daniel cared for his brother Andy throughout his life and for his mother Mary Jane. Daniel also took great pride in seeing his children through college; both now are pursuing graduate degrees. As a coach to his children's sports teams, Daniel will be remembered for his easy laugh and the many snacks he'd bring to games and practices.

Dan thoroughly enjoyed playing and improving his tennis, competing with various USTA and club teams across the tri-state area. Dan also enjoyed platform tennis, squash, pickleball, road cycling, and playing in the Wyckoff men's softball summer league. Some of Dan's favorite places and events were Jones Beach, horse races at Belmont and Saratoga, the US Open, Broadway shows (Sweeney Todd and Something Rotten! were favorites), and his kids' orchestra performances, robotics competitions, and sports activities. Dan could also be counted on for a good movie recommendation across genres, with a lean towards the cult not-so-classic.

Daniel is survived by his wife Catherine Ming Chow and children Esther S. Plotnick and Wen T. Plotnick, of Wyckoff, NJ, and his mother Mary Jane Regan (nee Lockyer), of Rockville Centre, NY. Daniel was predeceased by his father Samuel I. Plotnick and brothers Andrew B. Plotnick and Michael I. Plotnick.

The family thanks the doctors, nurses, and aides at Wyckoff Christian Health, Valley Hospice, NYU Langone Neuro-Oncology, Valley Medical Group, and The Valley Hospital for their support and kind care; the generosity of the Bergen County Math Team parents, who coordinated a GoFundMe for medical expenses; and the dedication and kindness of extended family and friends who came together in Daniel's final days.

Online notes of sympathy can be left at Legacy.com.

Memorial donations or gifts of volunteer time in lieu of flowers can be made to Glioblastoma Research Organization at https://fundraise.gbmresearch.org/danielplotnick, or Project Lovematch at PO Box 64 Allendale, NJ 07401 (see www.projectlovematch.com), or please bring your time and generosity to your own local organization.