Resident of Saratoga

Murray Siegel, a resident of Saratoga, California since 1967, died on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at an assisted living facility in Palo Alto, California. He was 92.

Murray and his wife, Bernice (Meme), made their first California home in Palo Alto after he accepted a position with Shockley Semiconductor Labs in the fall of 1957.

However, he never worked there; instead accepting an offer to join the “Traitorous Eight” as the ninth employee of Fairchild Semiconductor and the first to be hired by the founders. Eugene Kleiner, one of the eight founders, was one of Murray’s college professors. Kleiner was a friend and mentor to Murray throughout his 45-year career in the semiconductor industry. Murray began his career at Fairchild in applications engineering and then transitioned into sales and marketing. He remained at Fairchild until 1967 and then moved on to the next start-up, Intersil. Murray thrived on the excitement of working in semiconductor start-ups including Monolithic Memories, Telmos and Cirrus Logic.

Born February 19, 1932, he was a Brooklyn native who grew upinthe Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Murray was a son of Isidore Siegel, a mason and contractor, and Molly Solomon Siegel, a homemaker, who emigrated from Romania. He was the youngest of four siblings: Tillie Bay, Perry and Estelle Silverman, all of whom predeceased him.

A veteran of the Korean War, Murray joined the Marines upon graduating high school in 1950. He was trained as a radio operator and served his two-year tour of duty based in San Francisco, attaining the rank of Sergeant. While stationed in San Francisco with the Marines, Murray began corresponding with Bernice (Meme) Heftman. They were introduced by a mutual family friend and were married for almost 67 years, until Meme’s death in May 2020. After completing his service with the Marines, Murray attended City College of New York on the GI bill, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Murray took great pride in his lovingly maintained garden that included roses, fruit trees and raised vegetable beds, which he enjoyed sharing with friends and neighbors.

The common thread through Murray’s life was kindness, compassion and graciousness. He was a gentleman in word and deed. As an active member of Congregation Shir Hadash in Los Gatos, faith was important to him. He was an ardent supporter of Israel. Murray and Meme shared a passion for travel and culture and enjoyed traveling around the globe. A doting, protective husband and father, Murray is survived by his two daughters, Marla Siegel and Michelle Siegel and Marla’s husband, Steve Miller. After two years of declining health, the family is comforted that Murray can now rest in peace, reunited with Meme, the love of his life, and other beloved family members. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.