Myron H. Luke, Professor Emeritus of History at C.W. Post, died July 7 at Mercy Hospital. He lived in West Hempstead. Dr. Luke taught many generations of Long Island students in his more than three decades of college teaching at Post, Hofstra and Farmingdale.

Born in Pennsylvania, Luke grew up in Seneca Falls and Binghamton in upstate New York where his father was a Congregational minister.

He came to Long Island in 1937 to teach economics at the State Institute of Applied Agriculture on Long Island (now SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale). He taught at Hofstra College from 1945 to 1963 and at C.W. Post from 1963-1973 where he was professor of history, chairman of the history department and the division of social sciences and became professor emeritus on his retirement.

Professor Luke made history come alive for his students and the many others who heard him speak. Specializing in Colonial and Long Island history, he wrote numerous articles and lectured widely. Among his publications are: The Port of New York, 1800-1810: The Foreign Trade and Business Community (1953); Colonial Hempstead (1975); Long Island in the American Revolution (1976); and Vignettes of Hempstead Town, 1643-1800 (1993).

When conferring the Presidential Medal from Hofstra University in 1994, Hofstra President James M. Shart stated: "Myron Luke has devoted his life to making important contributions to Long Island and our local history. He's an academician who, throughout his career, has reached a wide audience with his wisdom, while maintaining the highest standards of historical research. As one of his former students, I know what a great teacher this man is, always has been. He's outstanding and today, he is unquestionably the Dean of Long Island's local historians."

An excellent raconteur of Long Island's history, he graced many organizations with the wealth of his historical knowledge, wise counsel and friendship. Luke was a trustee of the Nassau County Historical Society from 1950, president from 1967-71, and editor of the society's Journal from 1950 to 1996, publishing 74 issues of the Nassau County Historical Society Journal during his 45 years as editor (subsequently the trustees of the society named him editor emeritus). Dr. Luke edited the Journal of Long Island History for the Long Island Historical Society (in Brooklyn) from 1961 to 1967 and the Long Island Courant from 1965-1966 for the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities.

During the nation's Bicentennial in 1976, he organized many activities as Historian of the Town of Hempstead, a position he held from 1967 to 1988. He was one of the founding trustees and a trustee emeritus of the Friends of Long Island's Heritage. He was an active member and officer in many historical organizations, including the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society in Port Washington (trustee), Town of Chester (New York) Historical Society (former trustee), Association of Nassau County Historical Organizations (former trustee, secretary), Friends of Historic St. George's (trustee, former president), Long Island Historical Society (former trustee and president).

In 1967, Luke was elected a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention. He was active in the Masons Blue Lodge, chapter, council, Knight Templar, 32nd degree Scottish rite, American Lodge of Research (past master). He received the D.A.R. Medal of Honor in 1983, the Presidential Medal from Hofstra University in 1993, and was honored by the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society in 1997.

He is survived by his wife Juliet, whom he married in 1953. Graveside services in the Port Washington Cemetery on July 13 were private. A Memorial service is planned for a later date.