George Hoberg

George Hoberg

Resident of Atherton

Oct. 9, 1924 - July 9, 2011

George Gilbert Hoberg of Atherton died July 9, 2011 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. Born October 9, 1924, he grew up in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, the son of a factory worker and a waitress. Because he learned to pound out crisp, clear prose, he won an essay contest that led to a college scholarship. After graduating from Villanova University in 1945, he served in the U.S. Navy as an engineering officer on an attack transport ship. After World War II, he was a team member for Project Whirlwind and other early digital computer projects at MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. He is named on eleven U.S. patents. As both engineer and entrepreneur, he contributed to the development of new applications in computing, microwave technology, radio telemetry and imaging systems. He retired as a senior executive of Varian Corporation.

George loved to sing and sail, and he enjoyed many travel adventures with his family. He was an active member of the church choir at Saint Raymond's parish in Menlo Park for many years.

He is survived by Shirley, his wife of 63 years; their nine children, Christa Bizer (Ronald) of Ann Arbor, MI; Janet Gingold (Mark) of Upper Marlboro, MD; Eric Hoberg (Jeanne) of Kennett Square, PA; Gregory Hoberg (Christine) of Los Altos, CA; Loretta Burns (Robert) of Saratoga, CA; George Hoberg of Vancouver, Canada; Peter Hoberg (Mary) of Santa Rosa, CA; Kathryn Arehart (Bradley) of Boulder , CO; Paul Hoberg (Mary Ellen) of Bainbridge Island, WA; and 21 grandchildren.

Visitation is at Spangler Mortuary in Los Altos on Tuesday, July 12 from 5-7 PM, and Funeral Mass is at St. Thomas Aquinas in Palo Alto at 10 AM on Wednesday, July 13. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parkinson's Foundation (www.pdf.org).