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Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66

8 Jul, 2014 By: Nancy Spurling Johnson

Leonid “Len” Nemirovsky lived by his code that helping others is its own reward.


Cadalyst and the CAD community lost a dear friend when Leonid “Len” Nemirovsky passed away in May at age 66 following a battle with cancer.

Leonid NemirovskyA devoted reader of Cadalyst for decades, Nemirovsky contributed nearly 150 AutoCAD user tips and AutoLISP routines published on Cadalyst’s CAD Tips site, plus countless others not cataloged. When it was active, he also enthusiastically contributed to Cadalyst’s “Hot Tip Harry” discussion forum, supporting his fellow AutoCAD users. “Whenever ideas are shared,” he once said about his frequent tip contributions, “the result is always greater than the sum of the parts.” That generosity of spirit extended to his Better Than Nothing AutoLISP web site, where he freely shared his collection of original code for AutoCAD.

In 2007, Nemirovsky won a year-long “Hot Tip Harry” tip contest; his prize was a trip to Autodesk University in Las Vegas. He remained in continual contact with Cadalyst editors over the years.

Nemirovsky was born in Harbin, China, in 1948 and moved with his family to Latvia when he was eight years old. As a young adult he hoped to become a history teacher and possibly an archaeologist, and he pursued work as a designer/drafter to support his studies at Latvian State University, he told Cadalyst in “User Profile: Tip Guru” in December 2012. He graduated in 1972 with degrees in modern history and philosophy and worked as a high school teacher, but found it a challenging pursuit during a time when students chafed at the government's official party line. He returned to his former employer, where he resumed work as a technician on hydroelectric and fish protection projects. He took engineering courses for three years, but those studies were cut short by his next big move.

In 1979, at age 32, Nemirovsky immigrated to the United States to escape the conditions in Latvia. “I worked hard and adapted to life in the United States. I got married, bought a house, and — most importantly — I am free here,” he said.  

At the time of his death, he worked in the Hydro/Fisheries department of Jacobs Engineering near Seattle, where he had been employed for two decades as a structural design CAD technician. He worked primarily on fish facilities that allow wild salmon to travel through the dams on the Columbia River.

Nemirovsky was an AutoCAD user for nearly 30 years. “The best part [of my job] is creating 3D models of everything from dams and spillways to gates, pipelines, and steel constructions,” he said in his “User Profile.” “I am doing something I truly love: protecting fish, 3D design, a little bit of programming and AutoCAD customization, and sharing everything I know with my colleagues. I find that very rewarding.”

He launched the Better Than Nothing AutoLISP site around 1990. “Although lots of people provide that help for a price,” he told Cadalyst, “I decided that I must do it for free. One small routine made available to everyone can start an avalanche of ideas and more programs. Everybody learns and gains knowledge in the process, and the result can be very surprising.” He had hoped to update the site and move it to a better location, he said.

Nemirovsky loved Star Trek and other science fiction books and movies, as well as everything about real-life space exploration. He also occasionally drew cartoons. He is survived by his wife and mother in the United States.

Len Nemirovsky was one of a kind, and he will be dearly missed. Rest in peace, our friend.

Editor's note: If you benefited from Len Nemirovsky's AutoCAD tips and code over the years, please leave a comment below or e-mail it to nancy.johnson@cadalyst.com for posting.

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Comments

Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Nancy_Johnson
on: July 8, 2014 - 12:37pm
I don’t think I have ever opened the Cadalyst website before and been so shocked. It is really sad to read about Len. I have been using AutoCAD for 30 years and his name has always been a name I recognized and trusted. RIP Len…..GOD Bless. --Don Morgan, Technical Designer, MT Systems
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Nancy_Johnson
on: July 10, 2014 - 11:32am
I worked with Len for many years. He was a funny, kind person and a walking encyclopedia of AutoCAD. I miss him every day at work. Thank you for writing such a great article about Len. I think he would have liked it very much. --Elizabeth Moattar, Senior CADD Designer, JACOBS
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Nancy_Johnson
on: July 10, 2014 - 11:34am
Thank you for the thoughtful tribute to Len. I have known and worked with Len since 1980. I can truthfully say that your writing described him accurately. Len was very helpful to me as engineer who started drafting with ink on vellum and knew little of computers. I think it was AutoCAD 2??, that I was first introduced to. To say the least, I was quite overwhelmed and amazed at the same time. I don’t know how many times Len came to my rescue over the years. --Arthur Lynch
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: bobbym
on: July 14, 2014 - 2:45pm
The good ones are few and far between. Leonid was one of the good ones.
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: pwndecaf
on: July 14, 2014 - 2:57pm
My condolences to Len's family. He was a consummate drafter and teacher. I benefited from his tips and found them insightful, not just "tips." He really had a deep knowledge of the software and was generous in his sharing. Bless you, Leonid "frequent contributor" Nemirovsky! Paul Neujahr McCain Foods
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Nancy_Johnson
on: July 14, 2014 - 3:31pm
I am an Architect & AutoCAD user for 22 years. I discovered Cadalyst early one, looking for any help I could find. I quickly noticed how often I saw Leonid Nemirovsky name popping up with great tips, most of which I could use in my own journey with AutoCAD. He, & other Cadalyst tipsters, I always wondered who he was & how he got to be such an AutoCAD expert. I'm sorry that it took his death for me to find out about him. He was obviously a gifted, kind & gentle man. I'm sorry I never had the chance to meet him! --Ray Baird, AIA Architect, MAJ US Army, Retired
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Nancy_Johnson
on: July 14, 2014 - 3:33pm
I have been an AutoCAD user since 1982, and have been a beneficiary of him sharing his knowledge. Certain names you look for and rely on when searching for information and he certainly was one of those. Sincere sympathy to his family and friends. --Cheryl Spellman, plumbing designer
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Nancy_Johnson
on: July 14, 2014 - 3:35pm
Although I did not know Len personally, I always looked forward to the tips and tricks he shared over the years, I began using AutoCAD in 1986 with 2.03 or 2.18 (I forget), but it was a small world back then. When he arrived with his web site and practical routines and shortcuts, it was incredibly helpful to me, I "borrowed" his routines quite regularly and used many of them as a basis to modify and customize for our local conditions. He will be sorely missed by our community. God Bless you Len. -- Bart Dalton, City Surveyor, Public Works Dept., City of North Las Vegas
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: Koki
on: July 15, 2014 - 12:40am
RIP Len,you was inspiration to me and most of the time I visited Cadalys tip and tricks your posts stood up.You name was ,I suppose, one of the most well known from all contributors. We will miss you. Nick Antonov
 
Re: Long-Time Cadalyst Tip Contributor Dies at Age 66
 by: harshsanon
on: July 15, 2014 - 3:46am
RIP Len, and Thank you very much.... I have read and used your lisp routines since i started Autocad in 1989.... yes, its probably the most recognized name for our generation of Autocad users...
 
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