John passed peacefully on August 17, 2021 at the age of 93 in his home in Santa Barbara with his devoted wife Rita by his side. He leaves behind Rita, his wife of 71 years and four children: Pat Barry (Bruce), Steve Anderson (Marti), Jeffrey Anderson (Cindy), and Christy McElwee (Jim). He also leaves a wonderful legacy of nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
John was born and raised in Bessemer, Michigan. Prior to attending college, he was in the U.S. Army occupation forces in the Pacific. He then graduated from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI in 1951 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also earned a master’s degree in Engineering Mechanics from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. He began his professional career at General Motors Research in Detroit, MI as a research engineer working on crash tests and suspension systems. In 1960, he and his family moved to Santa Barbara to GM Defense Systems developing gyroscopes for inertial navigation. As co-founder of Polar Research Laboratory Inc., he combined his love of nature with science and engineering doing advanced underwater acoustic research and designing and deploying weather data buoys for the Navy and the National Science Foundation in the Arctic and open oceans.
When John asked Rita to marry him, he told her they would travel the world together and they did. John was an avid reader: from science periodicals to Louis L’Amour, he passed on his love of reading. His enjoyment of the outdoors was shared through numerous family camping trips across the country exploring National Parks. John, his sons and grandsons, often backpacked in the Sierras, and off-roading in his 1995 red jeep at Joshua Tree and Red Rock Canyon was always a highlight. John will be remembered by all who knew him as a gentle man, a true gentleman. Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Great-grampa we love you and miss you.
John’s family will gather to remember his remarkable life. Memorials can be given to Hospice of Santa Barbara or Visiting Nurses of Santa Barbara in his name.
