Charles O. Forge

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Stanford University

Charles Forge Obituary

Charles O. Forge Charles Otis Forge was born February 2, 1935, in San Francisco, California. His father was Otis Forge, a Mechanical Engineer and head of Western Forge and Flange, full-time cherry orchardist and a founder of the City of Cupertino. His mother, Muriel Neu Forge, was a school teacher. Chuck grew up on the Forge family farm in Cupertino, living with the various well-known orchardists of the Valley. He graduated from Bellarmine in 1952 and entered Stanford University. He graduated from Stanford with an Electrical Engineering degree in 1956, and was elected to Tau Beta Pi and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies. He entered Stanford Graduate School in 1956 and while participating in the Honors Co-op Program at Hewlett Packard Company he graduated with a Masters Degree in 1959. He attended his 50-year college reunion in 2006. After Stanford, Chuck took a full-time job at Hewlett-Packard where he had worked summers during college. In 1968 Chuck moved to Durrum Intruments as Chief Engineer. He remained there until 1975 when he moved to Boschert Inc., again as Chief Engineer. After ten years at Boschert, Chuck became a full-time consultant for Apple Computer, JDS Uniphase and Fairchild. Chuck held many important patents. Chuck Forge started SCCA racing in 1962 and held many track records at several race courses in California. Chuck is survived by his brother-in-law, Ed Hutchins, his niece, Celeste Hutchins, and his nephew, Paul Hutchins, and his family. His sister, Eileen Hutchins, predeceased him. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at the LIMA & CAMPAGNA SUNNYVALE MORTUARY, 1315 Hollenbeck Avenue, Sunnyvale, from 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. with the Rosary beginning at 7:00 PM. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at St. William Catholic Church, 611 S. El Monte Avenue, Los Altos at 10:00 A.M. Interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, 22555 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos.

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Published by San Jose Mercury News on Sep. 4, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Charles Forge

7 Entries

Bob (Other) Jones

December 27, 2009

I met Chuck around 1961 in the Continental Sports Car Club in San Jose. We use to battle it out auto-crossing and later competing in Porsches in SCCA racing.
I also had the pleasure of competing with his friend Bob Jones, listed in the Guest Book on September 04, 2009.
Obviously we both have the same names so I was nick named Bob (Other) Jones.
I'll never forget when Chuck showed me his tremendous, what I called, Taj Garage. He was so proud of it.
I live just a few blocks from Chuck in Los Altos and we would spend some quality time tinkering in his garage.
Someone earlier said that he was an engineer's engineer. I would also like to say, he was a racer's racer.
Always friendly, upbeat and a great pleasure to be around.
He will be sorely missed.

Ron Vinsant

October 4, 2009

Chuck and I worked together at Boschert. He had to be one of the best Engineers in his generation, and they were probably the best electronic engineers in history.

We shared a shop in Santa Clara and occasionally sent work each others way.

He will be missed.

Ron Vinsant

Dale Nicol

September 17, 2009

I met Chuck in 1980 at Boschert and quickly learned what a great Engineer he truly was.
Chuck had established design guidelines for the Power Supply Engineers to follow and his efforts were rewarded by helping to train less experienced Engineers.....they also helped everyone so you did not overlook critical elements prior to release into production.

He was a selfless guy whose experience, both electrical and mechanical was appreciated by all.

I am very fortunate to have worked for and known Chuck and thank Bob Boschert for wooing Chuck to Boschert.
Those early days in commercial switch mode power supplies were fast and furious......who could have guessed the rapid growth in computers that followed.
Chucks design guide lines are alive and well in the industry.....ensuring reliable power supplies.

Chuck, may your rest in peace.

Dale Nicol, Hood River, OR
(Old magnetics guy)

Lorin & Kathryn Guy

September 8, 2009

My wife and I have known Chuck for over 30 years, we met through our love of fine automobiles. We always enjoyed our time with him at the tracks in SCCA or in the garage deep in restorations. Chuck had a unique ability to see complex issues in a different light, and find solutions for them. As with our racing cars Chuck could innovate, engineer and manufacture, his understanding of situations was uncommon, he had the ability to talk to you about it, never talking above or below but seeming to know just where your understanding was, even with the most complex solution. Not being an engineer but simply an over zealous enthusiast I appreciated his kind and friendly spirit. He was a giver, he always had a smile and the greatest laugh, and we’ll miss him dearly.

Chuck you’re on your way to another race,
We’ll all meet in that paddock soon,
Havin’ fun beyond our wildest dream
Our cars will all run great and the paint will gleam

Pedal to the metal, Diggin hard in the corner
Another mile marker on our way,
As we head on down forever’s long straight a way.

I hope you’re geared right cuz we’re comin’ soon
The drop of the green and away we’ll zoom,
all your buddies and friends won’t lag,
‘cuz we’re all headed for that same checkered flag.

James Fleming

September 4, 2009

I have known Chuck for over 40 years. I worked with him at Hewlett-Packard and followed his technical Porsche advise for many years. He was an Engineer's Engineer and a quite, gentle (except in his race car) person. I have posted many of my pictures of Chuck and of his cars on my Facebook wall. So far no death I have experienced in my life has had the impact that chuck's did. He was a truly wonderful person. James H. Fleming, Phoenix, AZ.

Thomas Turner

September 4, 2009

I met Chuck about seven years ago at the SCCA championship races in Sonoma. He was a quiet but pleasant guy who could make you feel as if you had known him for years. As my wife and I traveled to National races over the years we would always say hello and find out how things were going for him that weekend. If only we had known how much we had in common, from Bellarmine to our love of racing. When we talked in Monterey at the historics, we discussed when we might next touch base at the next race. We will all miss Chuck.
Tom Turner, Danville

August 15, 2009

Bob Jones

September 4, 2009

I was introduced to Chuck Forge in the summer of 1957 by Jobst Brandt. This resulted in a friendship that lasted till now. Chuck was of my life’s mentors that covered an unbelievable array of topics. Chuck would explain complex systems to me in simplified understandable language. In our twenty’s we went on three summer vacations exploring and driving around the western states. We both joined the Continental Sports Car Club. This lead to auto crossing and later to joining Sports Car Club of America to race. We enjoyed working on the cars and engines together and when we ran into a problem Chuck would always have a solution. I watched Chuck run his last race August 15, 2009. He was happy that the engine and car ran without a problem. I and many more will miss Chuck. Bob Jones

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