Analog engineering legend Bob Pease killed in car crash

A true legend is gone, a tragic loss to engineering. I even have one of his books!

 

What a loss that is. He advanced the state of the art for years.

 

Agree. I attended his seminars and still have his hand drawn notes. This is the end of a era in the analog world.

 

It is even more tragic that he died in a car accident on his way back from a service for Jim Williams, another analog guru. Very sad week, indeed

RIP Jim and Bob. You will be sorely missed.

 

Truly sorry to hear about Bob!

He was one of my mentors through his prolific pen during my design career.

And on top of being the designer he was he was a super communicator. Many, or I should say most, of us engineer types are way short of that gift he so powerfully used to inspire.

 

Oh, no! What a very sad loss.

I had no idea that Bob had passed away.

Rest in Peace, Bob. Your brilliant mentoring will indeed be missed.

 

RIP :/

Its a little suspicious his death. First Jim, then right afterwards bob.

 

Stuff happens, he was pretty distraught from what the articles said.

 

I am new to this forum and I haven't hit the electronics books for over 20 years so could someone please elaborate more fully on Bob's contribution to "Analog". I don't mean to sound insulting due to my ignorance but I am always interested in the forefathers that laid the irrefutable ground work of any scientific field.

Any book titles of his would be helpful to better understand the man.

Danny

 

Stuff happens, he was pretty distraught from what the articles said.

Yeah, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.

Analog designers are known to daydream. Losing a friend and then attending his memorial is likely to put such a person in an introspective mood, prone to daydreaming. Bob Pease was as "old-school" as they come; so, driving an old VW bug, with no seat belt on, is not too surprising. Right there, you have a recipe for disaster. Now add age into the equations, with poorer reflexes, bad eyesight, restless sleep, and a sharp unexpected corner in the road.

We could even speculate that he had a medical event that rendered him unconscious or simply distracted him and caused him to miss the turn. If so, maybe the resulting quick death was a blessing. The exact cause might not be clear, but it doesn't take Columbo to figure that this wasn't a suspicious scenario. However, understanding it doesn't make it any less sad. As depressing as this situation is for us, I can't even imagine how sad and shocked the families and close friends of Bob Pease and Jim Williams are right now.

The best tribute I can think to give these two great analog design engineers is that I can honestly say I'm a better engineer because of the influence of their teaching; and, I know I'm not alone in that feeling. I never met either one personally, but was influenced significantly anyway. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of great people is that they don't know most of the people they affect. They influence those around them so strongly, and like a propagating wave, the information spreads by word of mouth, and by words in print, video and now the internet. While they live, legends are built from their deeds and after their passing, eventually the future myths will be born.

I wonder if a thousand years from now, people will speak of the analog era that we now seem to be leaving behind. Will they recognize that their awesome technology has spawned from these important beginnings? Will these two great men be the Hercules and Achilles of future generations?

RIP and thanks for making life just a little more fun; Bob Pease and Jim Williams.

 

I am new to this forum and I haven't hit the electronics books for over 20 years so could someone please elaborate more fully on Bob's contribution to "Analog". I don't mean to sound insulting due to my ignorance but I am always interested in the forefathers that laid the irrefutable ground work of any scientific field.

Any book titles of his would be helpful to better understand the man.

Danny

Try google or wikipedia on his name.

 

I will never give up on analogue. Life isn't always black or white, ones or zeroes

Rest easy Bob.

 

Bob was posting to EDN mag lately. http://electronicdesign.com/pease.aspx

I'm not sure if his Nat Semi pages are duplicates: http://www.national.com/rap/

 

If so, maybe the resulting quick death was a blessing. The exact cause might not be clear, but it doesn't take Columbo to figure that this wasn't a suspicious scenario.

Columbo couldn't help anyway. He passed away on Thursday June 23rd.

 

Columbo couldn't help anyway. He passed away on Thursday June 23rd.

I know. I couldn't help but make the reference to another great person we recently lost, since that was on my mind recently too.

 

It's truly a sad day.

However, the fact that he was not wearing a seat belt worries me. After all, he wrote a book on driving safety. http://www.amazon.com/How-Drive-into-Accidents-Not/dp/0965564819

RIP.