Daniel Kaplan

1932 - 2025

Daniel Kaplan
08/17/1932 - 01/22/2025
Long time Los Altos Hills resident, Daniel E. Kaplan, a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on January 22, 2025, at age 92.
Dan was born on August 17, 1932, in San Mateo, California, to Anne and Hyman Kaplan. Starting in his early years and continuing throughout his life, Dan was greatly attracted to the outdoors and environmental causes and spent much time backpacking and working in the high Sierra. At age 14, he joined a group of experienced climbers in being among the first (and almost certainly the youngest) to ascend a challenging route on Mt. Ericsson (13,625 ft). His 1949 Burlingame High School senior yearbook described him as "our whiz on the ski slopes!" and he was delighted to eventually conquer expert ski runs in the mountains of the U.S., Europe, and Chile, during his lifetime.
From Burlingame High, Dan attended college at UC Berkeley, where he graduated with a BA in Physics and served one year as Oski during his undergraduate tenure. After a semester at Cornell, he continued his graduate studies at Cal, earning a PhD in solid-state physics in 1958.
Dan was happily married for 65 years to wife Rosemary (Rory), whom he first met at a cocktail party at her cousin's residence. Dan and Rory wed on June 21, 1959, and lived in Sausalito for a year before jetting to Paris where Dan tackled an internship at the Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay. After taking advantage of the opportunity to make many trips throughout Europe, they returned to the South Bay Area, settling in Los Altos Hills, where they raised their four children.
Dan spent his professional years at the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratories, where he initially worked under government sponsorship on applications of nuclear magnetic resonance to computer systems. Following this, he was associated with several electronic intelligence programs supported by various U.S. government agencies. Despite repeated prodding from his children, Dan never flinched in honoring his top-secret security clearances, and deftly dodged questions whether he was visiting Area 51.
He retired in 1995 to spend more time with his family and pursue long-desired hobbies. Dan earned his private pilot's license and flew out of the Palo Alto Airport. He was proud to have rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon twice. He went skydiving on his 75th birthday, and rode a blimp on his 80th. He remained an active adventurer well into his 80s, whether snorkeling in Hawaii or exploring the natural features of Iceland. At home, he was incredibly fond of his successive Golden Retrievers, Kurry 1,2, 3, and 4, who constantly supported him with unconditional love in return over many years.
Dan is survived by his wonderful wife, Rory; his loving children, David (Lisa) and Deborah (John Bartkowiak); and grandchildren, Alex Kaplan, Matthew Kaplan, Maya Bartkowiak, and Eli Bartkowiak. He was predeceased by his beloved daughter, Lisabeth; and his beloved son, Daniel. Services will be private. Memorial donations can be made to a cause close to your heart.