Richard Korts

Richard Korts was born on Jan. 25, 1939, in Joplin, MO. His parents, Ingraban and Eloise Korts lived in Baxter Springs, KS, about 20 miles west of Joplin. His father was a mining engineer. Brother David was born in 1941, and sister Elizabeth in 1944.

In 1945 the family began a series of moves that over three years would take them to Olmsteadville, NY, Lakeland, FL, and Berkley, CA. In October 1948, the family moved to Denver, Colorado, where they lived except for two years until the late 1960s. In 1952 the family moved to Northern Michigan (Marquette & Negaunne), returning to Denver in 1954. Richard finished Jr. High School and graduated from East High School in Denver in June 1957. In Sept. 1958, Richard began attending the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he graduated from Magna Cum Laude in 1962 with a bachelor of science in Applied Math.

Richard worked for two years at Lockheed Missiles & Space Company in Sunnyvale, CA, returning in 1964 to Colorado, where he married Carol Jean Dreher in August 1964. He received a Masters of Science in Applied Math with a minor in Computer Science from the university. He then took employment at the General Atomic Division of General Dynamics in San Diego (known today as General Atomics) (GA), where he worked in the computer sciences department. In 1967, Richard and Carol divorced. Richard continued his employment at GA. In 1974, Richard met Janet Anne Fussleman, and with Janet’s son Joey, they were married on Nov. 6, 1976, in San Diego. Together they had son Steven Richard Korts in 1977 and daughter Karen Marie Korts in 1979.

In 1982, Richard and several business associates left GA to form their own computer consulting company, Base 8. Richard left in 1990 and joined a San Diego-based company called Simpact, Assoc, where he became director of IT. In 1993, Richard joined Hunter Industries in San Marcos, CA, where he became manager of Systems & Programming. In 1996, with the rise of the internet on the horizon, Richard left Hunter & formed his own company called RK Associates, still active today. In May 2016, Richard found Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Escondido. He has become involved in this wonderful, caring, and loving community, and it has become a big part of his life.

Richard is survived by his separated wife Janet, sons Steven & Joey, daughter Karen Vasquez, grandchildren Jacob Barbee, Sophia Vasquez, Juliette Vasquez, and Nico Vasquez, and brother David Korts of Laguna Hills, CA.