Posted by Tom Kovach, '65 on April 6, 2026:

[The following eulogy was written by Connor Gansrow, Lou's grandson.] This weekend, we lost an American hero. Colonel Louis Csoka was born in Hungary during the height of World War II. He spent much of his childhood hiding in barns across Europe while he waited for asylum to the United States. When he finally arrived, his Mom died, leaving him and his family motherless in a foreign land with a foreign language and no friends for 5,000 miles. Despite these challenges, he excelled in school and music, and eventually earned his admission to West Point. After four years at the Academy, he commissioned into the infantry, promoted early to Captain, led a reconnaissance company in Vietnam, and earned a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. Later in his career, he earned a PhD in Neuropsychology, and returned to West Point to teach Behavior, Psychology, and Leadership (BS&L). Over the course of a decade, he mentored thousands of Cadets, helped found the Center for Enhanced Performance, and served as the Officer in Charge of the Army football team. These accomplishments, however, are not what made him a hero. What made him a hero was when he'd get covered in sand (which he despised) just so that he could build sandcastles with his grandkids. What made him a hero was when he came downstairs on Christmas morning in a Zorro costume, just to make everyone laugh. What made him a hero was the way that he loved his family and his country, his unwavering principle and integrity, and his zest for life despite enduring more conflict than most can imagine. I know he's enjoying a rum and coke with my grandma in Heaven right now. Rest in peace, grandpa.

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