Obituary of Hugh Manuel Sierra

Hugh Manuel Sierra November 3, 1927 - December 3, 2011 Hugh Manuel Sierra was born in Guines, Cuba, on November 3, 1927, the second of four children born to Jose and Maria Sierra. From a young age, it was evident that Hugh was academically gifted, particularly in mathematics. He graduated from the University of Havana with a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering and later attended McGill University in Montreal where he had the opportunity to take graduate courses in computer science. He later obtained a job with IBM in New York, received his U.S. citizenship, and was eventually transferred to IBM in San Jose where he met his future wife and fellow IBM-er, Patricia. They married in 1959 and had four children: David, Mark, Margaret and Sandra. They made their home in Los Altos. Hugh worked at IBM for many years as a hardware engineer specializing in memory storage for main frame computers, and was granted 21 national and international patents for his contributions. He was a strong believer in higher education, and he obtained his Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from Santa Clara University while he worked at IBM. In 1990, he published a book "An Introduction to Direct Access Storage Devices". But Hugh's knowledge extended beyond that of mathematics and high technology; he was also a world history, geography, and classical music buff, able to quote facts and figures off the top of his head. He was an avid book and map reader and spoke three languages: English, Spanish, and French. He also had a terrific sense of humor; he loved to tell jokes and make people laugh. Hugh was passionate about his work but he was also a devoted family man and enjoyed spending time with his wife and children. He spent many weekends taking his kids to baseball games, the movies, and amusement parks. Family always came first. In his later years as his health declined, his family remained close to him, particularly his devoted wife, Patricia, who has always been by his side through sickness and health, for 52 years of marriage. Hugh was a loving father and husband, and an inspiration to all who knew him. May he rest in eternal peace with the Lord Jesus Christ.




To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Hugh Sierra, please visit Tribute Store