John Baer Woodworth
Aug. 16, 1936-May 3, 2026
Palo Alto, California

John Baer Woodworth, 89, of Palo Alto, passed away peacefully at home with his family at his side.

Born and raised in Gilroy, California, he left home at 14 to attend Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose and later the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. He worked at Fairchild Semiconductor as an electrical engineer in the early days of the semiconductor industry. He later became a teacher of math and computer science in the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District, and in 1986 co-founded The Cowper Inn in Palo Alto.

John delighted in witnessing the growth and innovation of Silicon Valley and was an early adopter of new technologies—from the Apple IIe and the Macintosh in the 1980s to electric cars in the 2010s. He loved his Palo Alto community and his circle of friends, including “the bike gang,” with whom he rode the Portola Valley loop each Sunday for more than 40 years, well into his 80s; the St. Patrick’s Day party-goers who gathered each year for a sing-along; “the bridge group,” which gathered for weekly Wednesday games; and the men’s cooking group that took on ambitious recipes from Gourmet magazine.

As much as he loved California (and his seat in the sunroom!), John was always eager to explore the world. He traveled throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, with especially cherished family trips to Paris for his 75th birthday and a safari in South Africa for his 80th. He also enjoyed many visits to Mexico, including a memorable motorcycle journey from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Peggy; his children, Maria (Fernando) and Katie (Grainger); his four grandchildren, Leila, Leo, Elena, and Oliver; his sister, Alberta; and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He was predeceased by his brother Oliver and his sister Irene.

He will be remembered for his optimism, curiosity, and deep loyalty to family and friends.

Tags: teacher/educator