John Stuart Ames Passed away on May 18, 2015 at his home in Larkspur, CA. He was born in 1934 in Chicago to Albert and Alberta Ames, and was raised in Denver, CO and Palo Alto, CA. He served in the Army Security Agency in Korea and received his B.A. from St. Mary's College. On his 25th birthday, he met Genevieve Westhues; they were married 6 months later, and became proud parents of 3 sons and a daughter. John and his family spent happy years in Los Gatos, Saratoga, San Francisco, and Larkspur.
John was the consummate entrepreneur, and for three decades was part of the pioneering technology startups in the South Bay. He was co-founder of Thermatest Laboratories, Data Measurements Corp, ICOT Corp, and ASK Management Corp. John loved people, books, music, and the Giants. He was an accomplished pianist, who when asked, played Chopin, Mozart, Grieg or Chopsticks with his grandchildren. His energy and curiosity led him to unusual activities and hobbies, such as reading the entire collected works of C. G. Jung, learning shiatsu massage, and risking fast flow river rafting. When John chaired the Social Justice Group at St. Patrick's, Larkspur, he led efforts on affordable housing, a directory for environmental organizations, and banning gun shows at the Marin County Fair. He served as a leading grass roots organizer to get Proposition 71 Stem Cell initiative on the 2004 ballot leading to funding of the ongoing California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. John will be forever loved and missed by his wife, Genevieve, children, John Stuart Ames II, Mark Ames and partner Catherine Salah, Mary Ames West and husband Brian and grandchildren, Sarah, Jackson and Kennedy Ames, Sydney and Margot West, and Isabel and Joaquin Ames and their mother, Lisa Ames. He was preceded in death by his son, David Carver Ames. He is survived by one brother, Robert Ames. A memorial mass will be Thursday, May 28th, 10 a.m., St. Patrick's Church, Larkspur. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Hospice by the Bay www.hospicebythebay.org.
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