In Remembrance

Tim Coburn

Timothy (Tim) Coburn was born on February 14, 1939 in North Castle, New York to Alvin J. and Agnes C. Coburn. He was the middle of six siblings (Anne, Peter, Sarah, Stephen, and Susan). Tim passed away on Saturday, September 4, 2010, in Menlo Park, California.

Tim’s family moved to Connecticut, where he and his siblings grew up. He graduated from Phillips Academy (Andover, Massachusetts) as a Cum Laude. He attended Williams College, then started graduate work at Stanford in the Genetics Department, but left genetics to pursue a career as a computer programmer. Early on, he foresaw the intrusive potential of computer technology and was an advocate for measures to safeguard privacy. Tim had a dog named Ajax, and during A3M days he always took a break in the late afternoon to go to his off-campus home to feed Ajax and take him for a walk.

Yale Braunstein said, “Many of us remember Tim for his interests in photography, motorcycles (Nortons & BMWs, especially), and his camellias. He was one of the organizers of the ‘Full Circle’ cafe many years ago. He also helped revive the "Chaparral" in one of its incarnations.”

Tim enjoyed riding his bike along the curves of Skylonda and hanging at Alice’s Restaurant with his fellow bikers.