In Memoriam

Over the past year, the world has said goodbye to two legendary Spartans. On March 24, 2023, Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, passed away at the age of 94, and on May 3, 2022, Norman Mineta, ’02 Honorary Doctorate, founder of SJSU’s Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), passed away at 90 years old. Moore and Mineta were visionaries in their respective fields, forever changing technology and transportation and helping establish Silicon Valley as a home for global innovation.

Gordon Moore

Moore attended SJSU, where he met his wife Betty. He would go on to found Intel in 1968 with a longtime colleague. His prediction that chip technology would progress at an exponential rate — which would make electronics cheaper — became affectionately known as Moore’s Law.

Perhaps more notable than his groundbreaking work in technology was Gordon and Betty Moore’s generous hearts. In 2000, the two founded the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donated more than $5.1 billion to charitable causes. The Moores were married for 72 years. He is survived by Betty, their two sons, Kenneth and Steven, and four grandchildren.

Mineta was born in San José and represented the city for nearly 30 years, including as its mayor and in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was appointed Secretary of Commerce by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Transportation by President George W. Bush. For his illustrious career, which included the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Mineta received the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor in the United States.

Mineta founded MTI, an organized research and training unit in partnership with the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, in 1991. The institute increases mobility for all by improving the safety, efficiency, accessibility, and convenience of our nation’s transportation system. Mineta is survived by his wife, Danealia, two sons, David and Stuart, and two stepsons, Robert and Mark.

Norman Mineta

We bid farewell to these Spartan luminaries while drawing comfort that their legacies are advancing knowledge and improving the human condition.