Charles David Kuglin

Charles “Chuck” David Kuglin passed peacefully on June 9, 2023, at his home in Los Altos, CA. He was lovingly surrounded by four generations of his family, including his 3-month-old great- granddaughter.

Chuck was born on May 25, 1936, and raised in the South Side of Chicago, IL. He attended Morgan Park High School and graduated valedictorian of his class, despite having missed a year of school due to tuberculosis. He spent his summers fishing and exploring in Chetek, WI with his beloved brother John at the family lakeside cottage.

He was interested in science at an early age and majored in Physics at Carlton College in Northfield, MN. He graduated magna cum laude in 1958 and earned membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Association and the Mensa International Society. However, his most important achievement at Carlton was meeting Christine “Chris” Fisher. She was a fellow classmate who would become his future wife and best friend. They had a whirlwind romance and married on March 21, 1959, at a small ceremony at the Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel, CA.

After Carlton, Chuck moved to California to continue his education at Stanford University. He earned a Master of Science degree in Physics in 1960, and a Master of Science degree in Mathematics in 1964. During this time, he and Chris had two daughters Betsy, and Linda, and settled in Palo Alto until he and Chris moved to Los Altos in 1984.

He held various research and development positions at Lockheed Martin and Varian Associates. He thoroughly enjoyed his career and the close friends he made. He retired early in 1992 as Manager of the Lockheed Space Systems Division Image Processing Laboratory after suffering a stroke during a heart operation.

Chuck enjoyed mathematics, reading, managing his investments, Jeopardy!, making bad jokes, trivia, and a good martini. Before his stroke, he was an accomplished pianist and loved to entertain his family and friends with ragtime music.

He is survived by his devoted wife Chris, his daughters Betsy Lange (Jeff) and Linda Smith (Richard), grandchildren Alyssa Lange, Adam Lange, Michael Lange (Marisol), great- granddaughter Isabella Lange, brother-in-law Dan Fisher (Karen), sister-in-law Gale Kuglin, nephew Tom Kuglin (Dusty) and great- nephews Bridger and Trenton Kuglin. He was predeceased by his parents Charles and Jeanette Cook Kuglin, and his brother John Kuglin.

Chuck’s legacy is woven through the generations; a testament to the love and wisdom he imparted. He embraced the values of loyalty and generosity, and his heart was as vast as his intellect. In the quiet moments, his absence is keenly felt, but his spirit remains alive in the cherished memories he created with those he held dear.

His ashes were inurned at Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto, just a few blocks from the first house that he and Chris shared. A family celebration of his wonderful life was held on December 27th, 2023, at his home in Los Altos.