Paul J. Besser aka Gunner was born on September 27, 1935 on a dairy farm in Bloomington, Minnesota. The eldest of 10 brothers and sisters within an Irish-Catholic family, Paul started driving a tractor at 5 years old and began working the farm - sloppin' pigs, milking cows, feeding chickens, and handling the crops. In 1953 he graduated from De La Salle High School as Valedictorian with plans to become a dairy farmer. His high school yearbook documents his four years of straight A's and notes that he "tosses a mean hay bale." After graduation, his father sold the farm and Paul received a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota where he earned a B.S., a M.S., and a PhD with honors in Electrical Engineering. In 1965 he took his first helicopter ride in Southern California during a job iinterview with Rockwell International and accepted a position as a scientist, never wanting to experience another Minnesota winter. Throughout his career Paul worked on space exploration with NASA, grew crystals via substrate facet replication, and developed bubble memory, a precursor to today's hard drive. Memorials or donations may be made to the Yosemite Conservancy.

Me and Paul loved classic country music and celebrated Willie Nelson's 90th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl. I love you to the Moon & back.

"I knew someday that you would fly away

For love's the greatest healer to be found

So leave me if you need to, I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground

Fly on, fly on past the speed of sound

I'd rather see you up than see you down" (XO)