John Francis Nihen

John Francis Nihen, a resident of Yreka since 1993, passed away at Madrone Hospice House on August 2, 2017. John was born in Boston, MA on June 26, 1928, the son of Jerome Michael Nihen and Martha Murphy Nihen. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Margaret Wilson, Elizabeth Dugan, and brother Jerome Nihen. John graduated from English High School in 1945. Following high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as an Aerographer (flight weather forecaster) for seven years. After his discharge, John worked as a weather forecaster at Weather Services in Boston, and became a professional member of the American Meteorological Society. In 1955, John decided to resume his education, and he attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied chemistry, literature, and philosophy. He was employed for 10 years at TRG Inc. in Boston as a scientific programmer and mathematician, working on antenna and radome R&D. One of his projects was formulating and programming the mechanical design of the first feed of the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico, at the time the largest in the world. He also worked on the radar detection system that ensured the U.S. adequate time to repel an enemy air attack. In 1968, John and a colleague co-founded AutEx in Wellesley, MA. He was the Director and Vice President with complete responsibility for the design and implementation of the communications and information retrieval system that facilitated the trading of large blocks of securities. Early in the 1970’s, John moved to California and was employed by TCI Inc., Mountain View, designing and installing HF antennas and related R&D. In 1974, he joined Applied Technology in Sunnyvale, a division of the ITEK Corp. (ATD/ITEK) of Massachusetts, which involved radar warning and defense technology. While at ITEK, he was one of four employees selected as “Engineer of the Year” for the corporation’s first ITEK Honors Program in 1978. He was honored for inventiveness and willingness to work super-human hours and for incredible performance in designing, writing, and supporting the Compass Tie Program software. During this time, John spent many months living and working at military bases perfecting the program. John left ATD in the early 1980’s and continued working in the defense industry until his retirement in 1989. John met his wife, Susan, while they were both working at ATD, and they married in 1983. They moved to Yreka in 1993, enjoying the small town atmosphere and the natural beauty of the area. John especially loved hiking the trails of Greenhorn Park. They took many road trips and traveled all over the U.S. and Canada. They particularly enjoyed the Oregon Coast, and Bandon was a favorite destination. John loved to cook, and found great pleasure in fixing meals for family and friends. Early in his life, he had taken up baking bread, which helped him relax from his high-stress profession. He loved music of all kinds, falling in love with opera as a young boy when his father took him to a live performance. His favorite opera was “Tales of Hoffman.” Musically talented himself, he could sit at a piano and play almost anything; as a young man, he often played at piano bars for extra money. John was an avid reader, with a deep love of literature, and he liked to write poetry. Since his AutEx days, he had been interested in the securities industry, and wrote a quarterly investment newsletter for family and friends for several years. John always remembered the hard times his family and friends experienced during the depression, and he helped many people in his lifetime. When John was 15, his father died, and since the age of 13, he had been working after school and on weekends to help support his family. John will be missed by family and friends for his keen mind and wit. He is survived by his wife, Susan; sons, John, Jerome, and David; his grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service for John will be held on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 1 p.m. at Girdner Funeral Chapel in Yreka, with snacks and beverages to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John’s name to Madrone Hospice, Inc., 255 Collier Circle, Yreka, CA 96097.

John Francis Nihen

June 26, 1928 - August 2, 2017