Lasting Memories

Henry Kurt Ilg
Oct. 25, 1926-April 26, 2019
Atherton, California

Henry Kurt Ilg passed away peacefully on April 26 surrounded by his loving wife Shirley and two stepsons Michael and Bo Moody. Henry was born in Füllinsdorf, Switzerland to Heinrick and Emma Ilg on October 25, 1926. After receiving a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he immigrated to the United States in 1949. His first job in his new country was as a bus boy in his uncle’s restaurant in Denver. In 1954, he became a U.S. citizen and that same year he married Lotte Oppenheim. Lotte passed away in 2005. Henry held various management positions in the Bay Area before being hired by Hewlett Packard as a Plant Engineer and from there quickly moved up the ladder to become a Domestic/International Construction Project Manager, working in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, as well as many projects in the United States. Henry married Shirley Kendall in 2009. He embraced his new family, as they did him, becoming a supportive stepfather and doting Opa. Henry and Shirley shared their love of the arts, travel, and a strong belief in fitness and activity to keep their bodies and minds healthy. Henry was proud to be a self-made immigrant who lived with a philosophy of personal responsibility and “you get from life what you put into life.” He loved to experience new places, share cookies from his childhood and enjoyed the tranquility of his Zen designed garden. He gave to his family, friends, and community a logical international perspective wrapped in loving kindness. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; his sister, Helen Turnherr of St. Gallen, Switzerland; his stepsons and their wives, Michael and Amy Moody, Bo and Andie Moody; and his three grandchildren, Samantha, Oliver, and Teddy.