Katy Dickinson

Joe Kowalski Memorial

Like many who worked with Joe Kowalski during his 19 years as a Sun Engineer, I was shocked and saddened to hear of his death on Christmas Eve 2008. Joe joined Sun in 1989, nine years after his graduation from the University of California at San Diego in Computer Science. Before Sun, Joe worked at Spectragraphics and Cydrome. He worked for Cassatt after leaving Sun. I knew Joe as one of the stalwarts of Sun's Architecture Review Committees (ARCs), a process I helped to design and manage long ago. Joe also made major contributions to Sun's OS kernel and to Java software. Joe was funny and friendly and passionate about getting things right.

The service in celebration of Joe's life was held last Saturday at St. Clare's Episcopal Church in Pleasanton. One or more top-flight Silicon Valley startups could have been formed from among the memorial attendees, including: Steve Bourne, Bill Coleman, Rob Gingell, Eli Lamb, Tim Marsland, and Bill Shannon.

Those who spoke during the service remembered Joe for his height (6'6", two meters), jokes, basketball playing, love of wine, scuba diving, technical passion, the spontaneous combustion of his gazebo, and Joe's devotion to his teenage daughter, Alexandra. Her own poised and funny remembrance was the greatest tribute any father could want.

Joe (also known as jek3@sun.com) was just 52 when he died but he did much with his life that many only talk about. He went on that trip to Africa with his wife. Joe moved to Hawaii and worked remotely for three years.

If you want to make a contribution in Joe's memory, his wife Lori has asked that donations go to Alexandra's education fund (contact me for information), or to the stroke center that took care of Joe:

Washington Hospital Healthcare Foundation
2000 Mowry Ave.
Fremont, CA 94538-1716
Tel: (510) 791-3428
Fax: (510) 745-6427

Donations should be designated for the memory of Joseph E. Kowalski and also earmarked for the stroke center.

"Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Joe. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen"
Commendation from Joe's memorial service

Posted at 03:11PM Jan 13, 2009 by katysblog in News & Reviews  |  Comments[1]