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William Nipper Memoriam
William Rupert "Bill" Nipper
Jul. 17, 1936 - Mar. 3, 2021
Bill Nipper, who left us last year, was a true San Jose native: he grew up in a small house in the Burbank neighborhood and would return to live there for the last three decades of his life.
Bill was a graduate of Lincoln High and San Jose State, where he majored in math. He went on to be a math teacher and an engineer at GE. (His last job was at Sun Microsystems, where he met his wife Pat.) Bill had a healthy intellectual curiosity – he was always eager to discuss science, philosophy, linguistics, and of course math.
Although Bill spent most of his life in San Jose, his two years in Liberia with the Peace Corps provided him with a wealth of stories. A keen traveler, he and Pat explored New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, France, Hawaii, and more.
Bill's final years were challenging, as he battled severe skin cancer, but his mind stayed sharp until the end. We miss his gentle voice and thoughtful reflections. Bill wasn't just intelligent – he was kind.
Bill is survived by his wife Patricia Nipper, his stepchildren Diana Lins, Kathy Fantauzzi, and Mark Tapio Kines, his grandchildren Terrence Fantauzzi and Lana Lins, and his cousins Janice Gilman and Thelma Goldman, who were like sisters to him.
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Memories and Condolences
for William Nipper
Sponsored by San Jose Mercury News.
2 Entries
Gary Sloane
August 2, 2022
Bill was one of the first people I met at Sun Microsystems, back in 1988, when we were both tech writers. Always very generous with his knowledge about language, life, and technology, his outlook was more optimistic than my own, and he had enlightening things to say about things I wouldn't have suspected we had in common, such as old family roots in Ukraine (the surname Nipper is derived from the Dnieper River) and an interest in Liberia.
Deepest condolences, Pat. I looked up Bill's name hoping we could reminisce, but, alas, too late.
Neighbor
March 3, 2022
On the one year anniversary I hope your family has been coping well. Time will help heal your pain, friends will comfort you, faith will uphold you, and loving memories will heal your your hearts. Matthew 5:4
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