In Memory
William Kurt Dobson
1951 ~ 2025
Kurt was born on January 14, 1951 to William Ralph and LaFair Jensen Dobson. From an early age, he demonstrated wild curiosity about the world around him - especially all things with moving parts. He was the beneficiary of the kind attention of a neighbor, Delbert Williams, who Kurt credited for answering technical questions and for stoking his boundless curiosity. Mr. Williams was among the first of many friends, mentors, and colleagues who joined him on his storied avocational and professional journey.
Our mother told the story of 4-year-old Kurt making early morning visits to a neighbor who would let him remove the screws from the bottom hinges of her doors, then make another round to replace them. A scout leader, Mr. Ansjon, helped Kurt set up a work table (made by adding legs to an old door) in the basement. Kurt's friends and siblings have many memories of hanging out around that table because that was the best way to spend time with him – and because he generously shared his knowledge and skills with everyone. He fixed radios and TVs for various neighbors, he took advantage of electronics classes at Wasatch Junior High and Skyline High School, enabling him to get a job at Music Arts (Holladay, UT) fixing amplifiers and teaching drums. A pivotal job was with UNIVAC, where he learned the complex communication protocol used to send data between their mainframes and local computer terminals. He parlayed that knowledge to start a company with his friend, Rusty Woodbury, that became DATA Corp. Kurt approached every new problem by heading directly to the edge of what was known with the confidence that whatever had already been done, he could do it better – and he was often right.
Kurt assigned a lot of importance to fun. He was always building the fastest car or motorcycle. He loved music and was an excellent drummer. He was a great skier and water-skier. He was an excellent pilot, with advanced certifications. But he was always ready and willing to work hard. He never stopped working or thinking about work he wanted to do. Until the final days of his life, Kurt was talking about returning to work.
Kurt is survived by his wife, Eva; siblings Carmen Dobson Steggell, Kristine Dobson, James Cody Dobson, and David Clark Dobson; daughters Margaret Lela Dobson and Kirsten Dobson Rider (Matthew); a precious new grandson, Finn Cortland Rider; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, and many dear friends and neighbors who became extended family. Pre-deceased by his son, William Cortland Dobson.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, January 24, at 11:00 AM at the Anderson & Goff Mortuary in Draper (11859 South 700 East). The viewing will start at 10:00 AM. Following the service, the burial will take place at Larkin Sunset Gardens (1950 East 10600 South).
The service will be livestreamed on the Anderson & Goff Mortuary Facebook Page at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Funeral-Service---Cemetery/Anderson-Goff-Mortuary-293949407707203/
(The livestream video will appear when the service starts.)
Kent F. Goldthorpe
RIP, Kurt.Nancy Diane Eckels
I do remember Kurt, but I did not know him well. It sounds like he was a delightful and talented guy.
Patrick Tucker
Kurt and I became friends at Skyline in Mr. Brooksby's Electronics class, starting with our sophomore year in late 1966. (Although I first met Kurt at Wasatch Jr. High in late 1963 where I would see him every day in every class since we had been assigned identical class schedules.) At Skyline, Kurt was very interested in electricity & electronics and early on he was obviously the star of the class, but Kurt was never a 'know-it-all' (although it was apparent from the beginning that he probably knew more than any 10-of-his-classmates-combined) he was always quiet and reserved unless he was asked to 'answer or comment' by our teacher Mr. Brooksby. Our friendship grew as we continued through the electronics classes for 3 years at Skyline also becoming fast-car- buddies' senior year (along with Randy Peters, who was also in all of the electronics classes). Senior year, our small 3rd year electronics class met one hour prior to the regular class schedule at 6:45am and we would sometimes converge early to have impromptu drag races up the main parking lot entrance ramp prior to parking our cars (since the east side parking lot was totally empty during those early mornings). On one occasion we almost collided head-on with Mr. Green (our senior counselor at Skyline) as he was arriving early that day and by the time we had parked our cars and walked to the electronics classroom, Mr. Green had somehow gotten word to Mr. Brooksby about the incident. We were the recipients of a short very terse lecture from Mr. Brooksby along with an admonition: 'this will be the last time that this sort of thing happens'. (And of course, that was the last time...) Kurt and I were both very grateful for our electronics education at Skyline with Mr. Brooksby (who was our mutual total hero then and I personally believe that Mr. Brooksby would be very proud of Kurt in retrospect). After graduation in 1969, we were on separate educational paths but renewed our affiliation when I returned from Tech.School in Phoenix, Az. in early 1971. From that point onward, we continued being great friends and as the 70's rolled by I was involved with Kurt as a partner in his first 'Electronics' Company' venture & I was also his brother-in-law from 1975 to 1982 when I was married to his younger sister Kristine (Skyline Class of '71). Through the 80's and 90's we continued as friends through several 'electronics business' affiliations and continued love of all things automotive. By the late 90's we were on entirely separate employment paths, but since we still loved Cars & Electromechanical-Stuff, we managed to stay in fairly close touch via email, as Kurt continued with several ventures that now involved Wireless Communications and Biomedicine disciplines. At the time of his passing, Kurt was employed by the military subcontractor Northrup Grumman, in a position that could probably be defined as a 'Senior Rocket Scientist', guiding a group of 250 (much younger) engineers and scientists about 'how to work together to reach a common goal'. Throughout his professional life, he was always 'working with people', simultaneously driving forward while at the same time being a great teacher (and also a constant 'learner of emerging technologies') who cared very deeply about his friends and the people he was involved with 'professionally', and 'avocationally'. He was very successful as an innovator, inventor and also had the gift of being a collaborative, entrepreneurial and personable kind of guy. Kurt was always a most interesting, illustrious and giving fellow to know. I feel extremely lucky to have known him as a friend, and I will profoundly miss his presence during whatever remains of my life on earth. RIP Kurt...
Robert Voyles
Kurt and I grew up 4 house away that mirrored each other. From the early ages of 7 or 8, we were part of the group of kids on Fleetwood drive that was located above Wasatch Blvd. As kids, we had the mountains just above our street to explore, the sage brush and scrub oak fields below to make our own fun. Kurt showed his intelligence at a very early age. He built his own HAM radio when he was about 12. Several years after, he built his first computer. Even though Kurt wasn't the biggest kid on the street, he was very athletic. He ran fast, was very agile, a good baseball player, archer, BB gun shot, model car and rocket builder but couldn't hit a golf ball worth a hoot. His family had a farm around Oakley where I received my first driving lessons from Kurt on their tractor and in his dad's old Chevy pickup truck. Eventually, cars became part of our lives. He along with Garry Fratto and Patrick Tucker spent countless hours working on their and others cars. Of course, we just had to race to see who had the fastest car, so driving out near the old airport was a perfect spot. Kurt had been working on his 59 Ford which wasn't a match for Garry's 68 RS Camaro, Patrick's Shelby mustang or my 68 Chevelle SS. But due to Kurt's ambition and creative genius, he later was able to afford all the big boy toys. He bought a race car and was certified to drive it. He also had a turbo Carrara Porsche, became a pilot and had his own airplane, just to count a few. The three things I remember most about Kurt was his willing to help especially if it was car related. He was always one of the guys on the street who would leave just after breakfast in the mornings and return in time for dinner after a full day of fun. And finally, being the one who helped create my poor penmanship as a result of racing each other to finish our classroom assignments in Mrs. Burton's 3 grade class at Eastwood elementary. Needless to say, he'll always be missed but never forgotten.Diane Partenheimer (Cannon)
After reading the fine, sensitive, and thoughtfu reflections on Kurt written be Patrick Tucker and Robert Voyles, I realize that I really missed out not knowing Kurt, who was so alive in a vibrant world of talent and intelligence, skill and curiosity, and, above all, kindness and ability. The world resounds with the loss of such a person.
Greg Link
fond memories of Kurt. good soul