PETER, Klaus “KP” Age 79 of South Natick, MA and Block Island, RI passed away on November 8th 2018 surrounded by his loving family. Klaus was born on December 3rd 1938 in Gablonz, Sudetenland, Germany, son of Franz and Elisabeth (Hollubetz). At six years of age, the family re-located to Vienna, Austria. At fifteen, they emigrated to Montreal, Canada where he attended Loyola College. He served in the Royal Canadian Airforce (Commisioned Officer and Navigator in Anti Submarine Command). Klaus graduated from Ottawa University in 1964 with a degree in Electrical Engineering (EE). He accepted an engineering position at HHScott, in the USA, then moved to Brussels, Belgium, where he designed the first digital tuner. Returning to the States, he joined Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1976 as Engineering Manager in advanced head/media development. With a passion for entrepreneurship and a brillant mind for design, in 1982 he partnered in a start up company, MediaLogic Inc. designing floppy disk test equipment. He co-authored technical papers for the advancement of magnetic media at IEEE worldwide conferences in Kalamata, Greece, with industry leaders and researchers. MediaLogic went public in 1987.
Klaus started his second company, RYPOS (i.e. “Dirt” in Greek) INC. with a partner from URI, to design regenerating filters for diesel engines.
Klaus was happiest when challenged by new technologies beyond his engineering disciplines, and he never stopped learning.
His scientific interests included finding Extra Terrestial life (Is Anyone There?) where he contributed to the SETI project. He was a member of the Planetary Society.
A keen fan of classical music , jazz, opera and foreign movies, he entertained friends to his vast collection of laser discs, tapes and CDs. He was a member of the Boston Audio Society and volunteer Recording Engineer for the Boston Artists’ Ensemble – a chamber group of BSO musicians. An interest in black and white photography led him to acquire the latest camera equipment and establish a dark room.
His positive attitude to life, his sense of humor, his loyalty to friends, knew no bounds. He bonded with colleagues at electronic flea markets, ham radio fests, and over his WorkHorse mower/snowblower, by voicing his political opinions and investment advice.
He shared his knowledge with MIT interns and funded a trust at URI for a promising electrical engineer.
His role as “Papa” to five creative and talented grandchildren (20 yrs to 15 months) fascinated him with their developing brains, and he encouraged them to aim high and stretch beyond their years. He taught them space exploration, scientific experiments, canoeing, poker, sudoku, and how to hula hoop. His jokes (not always age appropriate) brought screams of laughter.
A health fanatic, he ran every other day and advocated 85% dark chocolate and a vegan lifestyle as the key to longevity. A month shy of his 80th birthday, sadly, he could no longer beat the odds.
He is survived by his wife, Joan, with whom they shared 42 years of creativity, fun and laughter, son Beran, daughter-in-law, Nancy, daughter, Odele, and five grandchildren. In Canada, by his sister, Barbara, his sister-in-law, Dale, and her daughters, Jennifer and Jessica and their families.
A private burial was held at Glenwood Cemetry, South Natick, on November 13th and Klaus will be honored at a Remembrance gathering in December.
Donations in Memory of Klaus Peter may be made to: SETI INSTITUTE, PO Box 398541, San Francisco, CA 94139-8541. DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE, Melanoma Research, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. CARE DIMENSIONS HOSPICE HOUSE, 125 Winter Street, Lincoln, MA 01773.