Don Scheuch
Sept. 12, 1918-Aug. 29, 2012
Portola Valley, California
Dr. Donald Scheuch passed away August 29th surrounded by his loving family, just two weeks shy of his 94th birthday. Don was born on September 12, 1918, in Seattle, WA, to Milton and Isabelle Scheuch. He received a B.S. degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1943, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1949.
In 1940, Don was employed by the National Broadcasting Company in Hollywood as a television and studio engineer. In 1943, he went to Harvard University?s Radio Research Laboratory, where he worked on the countermeasures vulnerability of radar systems. In 1945, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps as a Civilian Technical Observer in radar countermeasures, with assignments in the China-Burma-India Theater and later in the Marianas.
In 1949, Don was recruited to the newly established Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park, CA, to help build a regional center of electronics capability, now known as Silicon Valley.
Don organized SRI?s first Systems Analysis Department, attracting many young engineers to the area. He then became Vice President of the Electronics and Radio Sciences Division, where the laboratories under his direction gained national recognition for their pioneering work on national air defense and ballistic missile defense programs. He was later appointed Director of the Engineering Group and then Senior Vice President for all of engineering at SRI.
In 1969, he was named Vice President and Chairman of the Office of Research Operations, and in 1977 was appointed Senior Vice President of SRI International and a member of its Board of Directors.
Following his retirement from SRI in the early 1980s, he joined the venture capital firm Continental Capital Corp., serving on its Board of Directors. He sat on the Advisory Council of Stanford University?s School of Engineering and was a Trustee of the United Way of the Bay Area.
Don had a smile and graciousness that warmed every room, and a kindness that made him beloved by all who knew him. He loved the outdoors, especially the mountains, and took his family on many memorable camping trips. For many years, he took an annual fishing trip with a group of friends to different locations around the U.S. and Mexico. He also enjoyed tennis, golf, ping-pong and hiking. He was an avid ham radio operator since the age of 16, and loved to talk to friends all over the world.
A resident of Portola Valley for more than 50 years, Don is survived by Polly, his loving wife of 61 years, three children Steve (Katie) of LaCrosse, WI, Jeff (Debbie) of Menlo Park and Judy (Alan) of Santa Monica, CA, nine grandchildren and two wonderful caregivers, Lydia and Jenny Velasco.
Private services will be held at a later date.
Donations may be made to: United Way of the Bay Area 221 Main Street, Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94105
Tags: business