Obituary of David John Powell Byrd

David was born in Sale, County of Chester, England. His parents, Elizabeth and John Byrd, were both physicians. Elizabeth specialized in women's health and worked for a time at a women's prison. His father was a ship's physician in the British navy. His grandfather had a farm where David spent many happy summer vacations as a boy. David spent his youth at Giggleswick School in Yorkshire, and later attended Manchester University where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1948. After he completed his National Service commitment, he worked at Ferranti designing a NIM demonstration computer for the Festival of Britain in 1952. During the Festival David showed the computer to many visitors, including the royal family. David married Barbara Ledsham in England and they emigrated in 1954 to the U.S. where there were more opportunities for computer and digital designers. He worked for Ampex Computer Products in Southern California until 1965 and then moved to what would become Silicon Valley to work for Philco, later Ford Aerospace, designing (among other things) a transportable emergency system, a "people mover," and a display system of New York Harbor. David lived in Palo Alto with his second wife, Shirlee, and his stepchildren until 1979 when they moved to Boulder Creek, in Santa Cruz County. David loved the forest and especially Big Basin State Park where he had spent many happy visits even before their move. He commuted to work over the curves of mountain roads until his retirement and then began volunteering with the North County Democratic Club and the Valley Women's Club Environmental Committee. Unfortunately, soon after his retirement, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and it was necessary to move from their much beloved mountain home to the City of Santa Cruz where they would be near doctors and hospitals, and where they could find a home without stairs. David lived for ten years in the city until it was necessary to move to an assisted living center. He spent his last year at Aegis Living, where the kind and helpful staff took good care of him. David is survived by his wife, Shirlee Byrd, his children: John Byrd, Sarah Araya and Caroline Byrd, his step-children: Diana Wright Troxell, Virginia Wright, and David Michael Wright, and his twelve grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. WE LOVE YOU, DAVID!