George S. Uebele

Jan. 28, 1930 ~ Dec. 5, 2016

George S. Uebele died peacefully at home in Gardnerville, Nevada of natural causes on December 5, 2016. He was 86.

George was born January 28, 1930 in San Francisco, CA to Sidney S. Uebele and Eleanor McCain Uebele.

George and Dorothy were married 64 years. George graduated from Stockton High School in 1948. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of California Berkeley in 1952, as well as a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from USC in 1954 and was a member of two engineering honor societies, Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi.

George met his future wife Dorothy in a high school chemistry class. They started dating when George invited Dorothy to a performance of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra at the Stockton High auditorium. They married June 22, 1952, two days after graduating from the University of California Berkeley. George loved the beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. They spent their honeymoon at a family cabin that George had helped his parents build.

Employed by Hughes Aircraft Company in Los Angeles, California, George worked developing microwave components for space communication for NASA. The patents that he and coworkers developed helped the United States become a leader in space exploration and insured the financial success of the company. Later he and some colleagues from Hughes left and formed Micromega Corporation. George returned to Hughes when Micromega moved and he didn’t want to make a long commute.

George became interested in amateur radio when he was in high school. After obtaining his license, he built his own radio, an interest that led to his

future career. After retiring, he and Dorothy moved to Gardnerville. He renewed his amateur radio license and became active in SIERA (Sierra Intermountain Emergency Radio Association) serving as treasurer, membership chairman, repeater trustee, and assistant editor of the club’s newsletter. He also gave radio exams for people working to earn an FCC Amateur Radio License. He and Dorothy helped provide communications for the Death Ride and the Pony Express Reride. Before the proliferation of cell phones, George monitored his radio and frequently provided assistance to other amateurs reporting accidents or other incidents that required emergency personnel. In one instance he relayed a message to the Alpine Sheriff that a hiker had collapsed at Emma Lake. Search and Rescue volunteers determined that the man needed to be flown by helicopter to Renown Hospital in Reno. Fortunately their actions helped save the man’s life.

In addition to providing radio communications,he also volunteered for the Sheridan Fire Department. Another activity was serving as a weather spotter and recording weather data for the National Weather Service and the Record Courier.

George enjoyed woodworking and liked working with hardwoods. He built a clock with wooden gears and other pieces of furniture for their home. He enjoyed photography and liked listening to all kinds of music from early jazz to the classical composers to opera. While walking around the tract, where he and Dorothy lived for almost 30 years, George liked to wave to neighbors and people passing by. He was admired by many for his honesty, his integrity, his sense of fairness, and his friendliness.

Survivors include his wife Dorothy and their three children: Susan Hagen, Charles and David Uebele, as well as his sister Ann O’Sullivan, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

He will be missed.