On April 1st Dr. Henry "Ed" Roberts passed away at the age of 68. In his lifetime he was a pioneer in early calculators, the personal computer, and a contributor to the success of Microsoft. (His computer the Altair 8800 was bundled with Bill Gate's and Paul Allen's Altair Basic). To many he is considered the father of the personal computer. His model of selling the computer near cost and making profit from accessories has been replicated to all sectors of the computer industry and is now the de facto way to operate. In 1976 Roberts decided to sell his company which had 230 employees and sales of $6 million and begin his life anew.
Robert's had a non-compete agreement so he decided to buy a large farm in Wheeler County George, where he had often visited his grandparents in his youth, and start a software company. At the age of 41 in 1981, with his fortune already made, Roberts decided to pursue a dream of his and enrolled in Mercer University towards his medical degree. In 1986 he graduated first in his class as a medical doctor. After his residency in internal medicine he established a practice in the town of Cochran, Georgia in 1988. He lived out his life there as an avid woodworker, caring for patients, until, after a few months of declining heath, he passed away from pneumonia.
To live a life where you take chances and impact the world is a great achievement. To take that same life and then apply it to restarting as a doctor is a sign of greatness. Robert's impact on the world will be felt for years to come, but his example is one that we can all learn from.
-Professor Walter
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