Sherman Leonard Golub

Sherman Leonard Golub passed away on January 13th at his home, surrounded by his loving family, at the age of 86. Sherman was born in Norway, Maine, the son of the late Herman & Sarah Levine Golub, and is also predeceased by his sister, Rosalind Gordon. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Vivian Golub; his beloved sons Seth and Ben; and his cherished grandchildren Lindsay Golub, Emily Golub, Matthew Golub, Cameron Golub, Mason Golub, Ross Gordon, & Alexa Gordon.

Sherman was an intellect and renaissance man, earning his Bachelors in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic institute and his Doctorate in Physics from Syracuse University. He was an inspirational Professor at Kent State University, and had a long career with IBM and Lockheed. He was instrumental in building the Hubble Telescope, in the development of semiconductors, and in building the satellite that discovered the hole in the ozone layer. When not working, Sherman enjoyed woodworking, photography, opera, biking, and birdwatching. He was a vital person who liked to scuba in his 70s, went ziplining at the age of 79, backpacking at age 80, and went on 12 miles hikes well into his 80s. Sherman was a volunteer kayaker/docent on the Elkhorn Slough and rescued elephant seals with the Marine Mammal Center. He and Vivian travelled the world together, reaching 43 countries on 6 continents.

Of all his accomplishments and titles, he was proudest of being a devoted husband, father, friend, and grandfather. He touched the lives of so many people, and both loved and was loved without reservation. He’ll always be in our hearts. Due to Covid concerns, there will be a small in-person service, with a simultaneous virtual service via Zoom. If you would like to make a donation in Sherman’s honor, please consider Congregation Beth David in Saratoga, CA or The Marine Mammal Center.