Lasting Memories

Jared "Jerry" Arnold Anderson
June 22, 1937-July 27, 2024
Woodside, California, USA
Submitted by Jared Anderson

47-year Woodside resident Jared “Jerry” Arnold Anderson passed away last summer at the age of 87. Jerry had an eclectic career as a research scientist, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, venture capitalist, inventor, vineyard operator and more...

Jerry came a long way from his roots in the small town of Palestine, Texas where he was born June 22, 1937. After graduating from Palestine High School in 1955, he went on to earn a B.S. degree in physics from the University of Texas at Austin. From there, he moved to California to study under esteemed physics Nobel laureate Luis Alvarez at UC Berkeley.

After receiving his physics Ph.D. at Berkeley, Jerry conducted experiments at Lawerence Berkeley Labs and the Bevatron particle accelerator co-publishing 25 studies analyzing particle interactions, cosmic rays, deep space objects and other phenomenon. In 1966, Alvarez chose Jerry to run a joint project between UC Berkeley and the Egyptian government using high-energy physics to scan for undiscovered chambers in pyramids on the Giza Plateau. From 1967-70, he worked at the Space Sciences Laboratory securing NASA contracts to conduct physics experiments using high altitude balloons and satellites.

Later, as an entrepreneur, Jerry founded San Jose-based Valid Logic Systems, which specialized in computer-aided engineering, manufacturing and design, and Two Pi Corporation of Santa Clara that produced a 32-bit IBM-compatible minicomputer.

Jerry is survived by his son, Jared Arnold Anderson, Jr., who was his partner in Skywood Ventures, a Menlo Park venture capital firm that invested in information technology and healthcare startups. Jerry moved to a house in the Skywood Acres neighborhood of upper Woodside in 1977; nine years later he purchased an adjoining three-acre property to start a vineyard growing Cabernet and Chardonnay grapes. He crushed the grapes and bottled and aged the wine on his property selling about 200 cases a year under the appellation Chaine d’Or Vineyards.

Jerry Anderson’s funeral was held in his hometown of Palestine, Texas in August of last year and Jared Anderson, Jr., has planned a celebration in his father’s memory on July 27th at the family home to mark the one year anniversary of his passing.

“Dad had a quote he loved from a character played by Robert Duvall in the 2003 movie “Secondhand Lions” that kind of epitomized his philosophy of life,” Jared Anderson said: “If you need something, find it yourself – better yet, learn to do without.”