Michael Cowperthwaite

Born in Keswick, Cumbria, England, on June 18, 1932, Michael Cowperthwaite was the eldest of two children of Harold and Peggy Cowperthwaite. Michael grew up on Poplar Street during the Second World War. Surrounded by the majesty of Skiddaw and the tranquility of Derwentwater, his childhood was spent within a close-knit circle of family, friends, and neighbors. The mountains and lakes were his playground. He left Keswick as a young man, but his heart remained there and he often spoke fondly of his family, friends, and the experiences of his youth, frequently slipping into his native Cumbrian dialect.

Michael, known locally as "Buzz," attended Keswick School and played rugby there until he was sidelined by injury. He showed a keen interest in chemistry, mathematics, and science. In 1950 he appeared on the silver screen in a small role in "The Clouded Yellow," which starred Jean Simmons and Trevor Howard, and was partially shot in the Lake District. Michael was an inquisitive student and the first in his family to attend university. He studied at Victoria University of Manchester where he earned a Bachelor of Science, and then, in 1958, a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry.

Michael married Margaret Byrne of Leigh, Lancashire, England in 1956. The two met in Keswick where Margaret had a summer job, and then ran into each other again on a bus in Manchester during their university years. In 1959 Michael had a postdoctoral research position at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, during which time his first two children were born: son Jeremy in Manchester, England, and daughter Janet in Ithaca. The young family returned to England in 1961 where Michael was employed at The Explosives Research and Development Establishment in Waltham Abbey, Essex. In 1964 Michael was offered a position at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park, California, so the family set sail on the SS Diemerdyk and journeyed through the Panama Canal to San Francisco. Two more sons were born in California: Stephen in Redwood City, and Scott in Santa Clara. Michael and Margaret purchased a home in Sunnyvale in 1965, which was often full of their childrens' friends, who affectionately called him "Mr. C."

Michael spent 32 years at SRI, during which time the results of his work were published in numerous papers and journal articles. He was internationally regarded as a brilliant theorist who valued mathematical rigor and made profound contributions to many areas: shock wave propagation in chemically reactive systems, Thermodynamics and EOS, shock wave stability, detonation, and Lagrangian analysis. His children fondly remember the years when their father was rarely without a tablet of yellow lined paper full of equations. After he left SRI, Michael spent several years consulting and working with colleagues, spending a memorable year at the University of Poitiers in France. Michael was elected a Fellow of The American Physical Society in 2003 for seminal contributions to his fields of expertise.

Michael had many interests throughout his lifetime. As a young father he played amateur soccer, which was popular with British expats in the Bay Area, both for the recreational aspect and the community it created. He was an avid runner for many years, covering dozens of miles a week on lunch hours and weekends. He followed many sports and teams, but none more closely than his beloved Manchester United Football Club. In his early years in Sunnyvale he enjoyed drying the apricots that grew in the yard. He was a weekend grillmaster for years, and later in life enjoyed the ritual of meal preparation. While the Cowperthwaite family never traveled to England together after immigrating, Michael and Margaret's parents would visit frequently. He enjoyed discovering the beauty of Northern California and family vacations took place on the Santa Cruz coast and in the Sierra Nevada foothills. He loved traveling for business and pleasure, and returned to his hometown as often as he could. He was a lifelong lover of birds, and enjoyed the many avian visitors that frequented his garden. After retirement Michael began doing crossword puzzles, and rarely a day passed without completing at least one. He always enjoyed music, and kept up with British crime dramas on television.

Michael was a loyal friend and family member. He generously opened his home on many occasions to those who needed a place to stay. He was strong willed, but any differences were resolved by agreeing to disagree. He enjoyed a glass of red wine, after which his usual quiet nature would become more animated. He made his own decisions about everything until the very end, and as one of his dear friends said frequently, "I've never met anyone who tried harder to be himself."

Michael died in his home on Christmas night, 2022, 14 months after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

Michael was preceded in death by his wife Margaret, his parents Harold and Peggy, and many beloved relatives and friends. He is survived by his children Jeremy, Janet, Stephen and Scott, their families Elba Watkins and Paul Kilduff, his granddaughter Alice Kilduff, his sister and brother-in-law Hazel and Ian Forsyth, his nephews Nicholas Forsyth and Duncan Forsyth, his niece Janice Brooke, their families, Marie, Louise, and James Forsyth, Suzanne Forsyth, Jim McCormack, Emily and Charlotte Brooke, and many treasured friends.

There will be a celebration of Michael's life in the coming months. In the meantime, Michael's children suggest that glasses are filled and raised in his memory with his favorite toast..."to absent friends."

Donations in Michael's memory may be made to nationaltrust.org.uk (Lake District-Borrowdale and Derwent Water).