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Geoffrey Gass ’52

Geoffrey was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, where his father was a university professor. He attended college in Nebraska and Chicago before enlisting in the army late in World War II. He married Betty Jane Thompson in 1947, while still in uniform. Geoff transferred to Reed and then continued his education at Northwest Broadcasting School. He worked as a radio station engineer and announcer, primarily in Ontario, Oregon. In 1958, he started a career with Tektronix, first as a field engineer and then as a specification control engineer.

At the end of the Vietnam War, Geoff and Betty fostered five young Vietnamese refugees and helped them start a new life in the U.S. After retiring, Geoff cultivated an interest in Oregon wines and was active in NAG (Northwest Amiga Group), ROBOTS (Retired Old Bastards of Tektronix), Oregon Philatelic Society, and Special Olympics. As a volunteer patron of Albert Kelly Park, he became a familiar figure to many of his neighbors over the years. Betty preceded him in death; he is survived by his children: Andrea Carlson, Dorian Hess, and Leslie.

Appeared in Reed magazine: June 2018

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