Thomas Lee Hotalen

Hotalen, Thomas Lee CASTLETON Thomas Lee Hotalen, 76 of Castleton, passed away on Sunday, December 5, 2021, at home, surrounded by family. Thomas was born in Wellsboro, N.Y., the son of the late Delancy and Mary (Zahorian) Hotalen. He earned a B.S. in pure mathematics from Mansfield State College in Pennsylvania, and M.S. in math education from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. He retired in 2000 as a math teacher for Taconic Hills Central Schools, after 32 years of teaching. Among his accomplishments as a teacher, he brought advanced placement calculus and graphing calculators to Taconic Hills. Countless students looked up to him for making math accessible and fun. After retirement, he continued sharing his love for a teaching as a substitute in many area schools, in most subjects. He was wordsmith (notorious for the creation of puns), enjoyed "Jeopardy," Trivia, and N.Y. Times crossword puzzles. He enjoyed attending movies, plays, opera, and sang in the church choir. Music was a passion, even leading to a brief stint as a rock star, performing a showstopping rendition of "Born to be Wild" to an auditorium full of screaming fans. His musical tastes ranged from Mozart to GWAR. An unquenchable thirst for knowledge led to a love of traveling, with trips throughout the U.S. and Europe. Survivors include wife, Tanya Hotalen; son, Jeremy Hotalen, and daughter-in-law Heather White Hotalen; brother, Delancy M. Hotalen; and sister Marilyn Granger. He was predeceased by a brother, Charles W. Hotalen A memorial service is scheduled for April 30, 2022, at 1 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, 405 Washington Ave., Albany. Friends may refer to Wjrockefeller.com to check the service times, COVID-19 restrictions, or to leave condolences. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Thomas's name to the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, or the Ghent Playhouse.