William M. Wolf
August 29, 1928 - April 25, 2015

LA Times April 28, 2015



William Martin Wolf, Inventor, Software Programmer, and Mathematician of Newport
Beach, California, died following a stroke on April 25 at the age of 86.

Born on August 29, 1928, in Watertown, New York, to Rose and John Wolf, Bill
Wolf received a bachelor of science degree in physics from St. Lawrence
University in 1950 and a master of science degree in mathematics from University
of New Hampshire in 1951. He studied theoretical physics at University of
Pennsylvania and pursued doctoral studies at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT), before starting Computer Business Management, his first of
many business ventures, in 1954.

Wolf had a formative role in modern computing, from the space race to the
software industry. In the 1950s he worked on the prototype of the first U.S. air
defense system at MIT's Digital Computer Lab, and through his firm Wolf Research
and Development he ran major contracts for the U.S. Army and NASA in the 1960s.
In 1964, LIFE Magazine ran a feature article on him, calling him the "Young
Wizard of Computers."

Wolf published a memoir of his professional experiences, titled "No e"—a
reference to the fact that people often misspelled his last name by adding an
"e" at the end. The book describes his early days using and later owning
Whirlwind (the world's second electronic computer, developed in partnership with
MIT, IBM and DARPA), his many years running software firms, and his work helping
shift computers from COBAL systems to Y2K compliant software at the turn of the
century. In the 1980s Wolf served as one of the first CEOs for MITs Enterprise
Forum. He is the recipient of three U.S. patents for programming techniques and
an advanced sorting algorithm he developed in his 80s.

Wolf is remembered by family and friends for his sense of humor and his love of
music. He was a gifted player of classical piano throughout his life. In 1952,
Wolf married Eileen Marie Jolly of Homesburg, Pennsylvania. They raised three
children, Rose Mary, Sylvia, and William. In recent years, Wolf has shared life
and love with his high-school sweetheart, Vivian Cellini.

Wolf is survived by Ms. Cellini of Newport Beach, California; his son William
John Wolf and daughter-in-law Allison of Arlington, VA; his daughter Sylvia Wolf
and son-in-law Duane Schuler of Seattle, WA; his son-in-law David Osborne of
Essex, MA (married to deceased daughter Dr. Rose Mary Osborne); nine
grandchildren; and one great grandson.