Dan Alan Winterburn
November 23, 1944 - October 13, 2014
On October 13, 2014 Dan Alan Winterburn passed away peacefully in his home from Myelodysplasia Syndrome with his wife Linda, close friends and his last 2 cats with him. A third generation native Californian and lifelong resident of the bay area, Dan was born in San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day November 23, 1944 to C. Jack Winterburn and Helen Marie Winterburn. He spent the first 5 years of his life in San Francisco. His family then moved to Redwood City where he grew up. He was a 1962 graduate of Sequoia High School. In 1967 he graduated from California State Polytechnic College San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics. He was a member of Kappa Mu Epsilon the mathematics honor society and President of the Cal Poly Math Club. He did graduate work at the University of Arizona in Tucson and received a Master of Science Degree in Cybernetic Systems from San Jose University in 1983 and later obtained a California Community College teaching credential.
On October 1, 1966 while at Cal Poly he met the love of his life and soulmate, his wife Linda on a blind date. It was the only blind date either ever went on. They married the following October 1, 1967 in Douglas, Arizona. He began his professional career as a mathematician at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena where he worked on the Mariner Shot. He and Linda moved to Sunnyvale in 1973 where they lived for the next 32 years. He spent many years working in the aerospace industry including TRW Systems, Lockheed and Westinghouse Electric. His final career move to the medical industry was for Abbott Laboratories Medical Products Division as a Software Quality Assurance Engineer. He worked with the Federal Drug Administration to develop industry procedures and standards for Abbott and the industry as a whole. In 2005 he retired from Abbott and he and Linda moved north to the historic town of Jacksonville in the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon.
Dan was a member of Toastmasters International for 40 plus years. Dan loved Toastmasters and was actively involved at all levels from the club to the International. He obtained his ATM and DTM and served as an officer at the club, area and district levels. In 1980-1981 he served as the District Four Governor leading the District to Presidents Distinguished District #5 in the world. In addition he received the Club Extension award #1 in the world chartering the most new clubs (23) during his term as District Four Governor. District Four included 123 clubs from San Francisco to Monterey. In 2001 he was the Regional Conference Chairman and in 2005 Toastmasters International awarded him with a Presidential Citation in Toronto Canada for his years of dedicated service.
After his early retirement to Jacksonville Dan became active in the community serving first on the Citizens Advisory Committee. He ran for Jacksonville City Council, was elected and served 5 plus years before he retired due to health issues. He was an active life member of the Jacksonville Booster Club where he worked on countless city projects. He was a member of the Historic Cemetery Commission and for several years portrayed various pioneer citizens in the Meet the Pioneer Series and the Historical Home Tours. A lifelong fan of Laurel & Hardy. He founded the Rogue Song Tent for the Worldwide Laurel & Hardy Appreciation Society and held monthly movie nights at the Old City Hall in Jacksonville. A lifelong cat lover and guardian to over 17 cats during his life. He worked on numerous projects to benefit homeless cats. He made substantial donations to benefit numer- ous cat organizations in both California and Oregon. Dan loved to travel and he & his wife Linda traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. With extensive travel in the Pacific Northwest and Canada after retirement to satisfy their love of history.
Dan is survived by his wife of 47 years, Linda, his two cats Blackberry & Blueberry of Jacksonville Oregon, his brother Eric John (Rick) Winterburn & his wife Judith of Sunnyvale and his cousin Alan Chapman of South San Francisco and friend and “adopted son” Douglas Wilson of Los Angeles, in addition to countless friends around the world.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering on Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 2:00PM at the Embassy Suites Milpitas – Silicon Valley, 901 East Calaveras Blvd, Milpitas. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dan’s name to the Palo Alto Humane Society or a shelter of your choice.