Tributes

George James Gruber, 79, a native of Hungary, entered into eternal life August 22, 2015. He spent his childhood and teen years in a small village north of Budapest until his junior university year when the historic 1956 Hungarian Revolt against communism occurred. He was a "freedom fighter" and avid listener of Radio Free Europe, so George believed Dwight Eisenhower and came out of communist Hungary to be repatriated in America in January of 1957. He attended Catholic University and completed his B.S. in Electrical Engineering 1959, M.A. in Physics 1960, and a Ph.D. in Physics 1962. He obtained an additional Ph.D. Examination in Epidemiology from UT School of Public Health in 1980. George was recruited in 1965 by UT Austin to be an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering and director for the underwater sound laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Navy. In 1971, he relocated to San Antonio as a Senior Research Physicist for Southwest Research Institute where he distinguished himself as an expert in the field of ultrasound. His patented inventions include multi-beam transducers to detect and characterize erosions, flaws, and fatigue cracks in heavily walled vessels such as nuclear reactors. While at SWRI, he completed numerous projects for the Office of Naval Research and the Atomic Energy Commission. His later years at SWRI were spent in transferring this technology to other nations and participating in several worldwide round-robin ultrasonic inspection exercises. He received an R & D 100 award in 1986 for the development of DAISY Data Acquisition and Imaging System and retired in 1995 at the level of Institute Scientist. George's active life included the love of Hungarian cooking and food, classical music, Bridge, dancing polkas and waltzes especially the Blue Danube Waltz, AND soccer. Prior to his liver transplant in 2006, George was recognized as the oldest active San Antonio League soccer player at age 69. During his retirement years, his love of statistics and math lead him to a "fun" career with his predictions in the stock market. He also became a writer on a subject in European History called the "Hungarian Goo lag". This wretched incident was one that his Hungarian family experienced personally. Later he turned his interest and attention to spiritual psychology topics and his memory will be honored when this work is completed and published by his daughter Lisa in a book called, Paving Your Road to Heaven. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 24 years, Marietta. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Kathy Gruber; daughter, Audrey Andrews, husband Jim and their children, Alison and Jamie; daughter, Lisa; step-daughter, Adele Krueger, husband Garrett and their child Olivia; step-son, Rob Kozlowski, his children Derek and Carson and wife Christy. He will be remembered fondly as a "colorful character" by his Hungarian relatives and numerous family and friends. The family would like to thank all of the physicians and nurses of the University of Texas Health Science Center Organ Transplant Service as well as all the allied staff of UTHSCSA for giving George and his family "10 more good years". A most sincere appreciation is expressed to his family friend and primary care physician, Dr. Frank Mueller. In his last 5 days, he was cared for lovingly by his family and the Hospice staff of Vitas. Viewing and Visitation will begin at St. Luke's Catholic Church at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, August 26th followed by Rosary at 7:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, August 27th at 10:30 AM with a Remembrance luncheon to follow in the St. Luke's Parish Family Center. Interment will take place at 3 PM at San Fernando Cemetery # 2. Attending pallbearers include, Jim Andrews, Garrett Krueger, Rob Kozlowski, Hal Burnside, Tony Bruton, Gary Hendrix, James Walker, Rolf Glauser. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Allied Women's Center of San Antonio, Shriner's Hospital for Children or a charity of your choice.

Tributes

Dr. George Gruber

March 20, 1936 - August 22, 2015