Jack Leon Melchor

1925 - 2015

Jack Leon Melchor
July 6, 1925-September 5, 2015
Resident of Los Altos Hills
Jack Leon Melchor passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, September 5, 2015, at the age of 90.
Jack was born July 6, 1925 in Mooresville, North Carolina. He lived the true American success story. He was the only of his siblings to finish high school and went on to get a Ph.D. in physics from Notre Dame. He moved to the Bay Area in 1952 to work at Sylvania Electronics. He was part of the team that started HP Associates. He then went on to found Melchor Ventures and funded, among other companies, ROLM, The Learning Company, and Software Publishing Company.
But for Jack, his family was most important. He met his wife, Norma Melchor, at a USO dance in South Bend, Indiana, when he asked her to play cards with him. Six months later, they married. His deep love and reverence of his wife lasted the sixty-six years of their marriage. They had four children, Greg, Karen, Kay, and Jeff, who they raised in the same Los Altos Hills home where he passed away.
Jack was a jokester and known for his affectionate teasing. Underlying this humor was a respect that Jack had for all people. He was a man of unwavering integrity and character.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Norma Melchor, who died in 2012, and by his daughter, Karen Melchor Froman, who died in 2009.
Jack is survived by his children, Gregory Melchor, Kay Melchor, and Jeffrey Melchor, his grandchildren, John Froman, Bonnie Froman, Liz Melchor, Lane Melchor, Laura Melchor, Nate Bieselin, and Malea Bieselin, his great-grand children, Collin Froman, Connor Froman, Sophia Bellaouchi, and countless friends.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jack Melchor's memory may be sent to the El Camino Hospital Foundation, 2400 Grant Rd #116, Mountain View, CA 94040