Perry H. Vartanian Jr.
1931-Sept. 26, 2025
Woodside, California
Submitted by Andi Dehne

Perry H. Vartanian Jr. passed away peacefully on 9/26/25 at his home in Woodside surrounded by family while taking in the expansive hilltop view of the Peninsula that brought him joy for 65+ years. He was 94 years old.

Born in Rochester NY in 1931 to parents Araxie and Perry Vartanian Sr., Perry Jr. grew up with an entrepreneurial spirit and a curiosity about the world and how things worked. His parents, both survivors of the Armenian genocide of 1915, raised Perry to be a hard worker. His earliest memory includes selling apples from the tree in the backyard to earn money for the family.

Perry’s brilliance and entrepreneurial spirit continued to shine as he made his way through earning his undergraduate degree at Cal Tech in Electrical Engineering (1953), then on to Stanford to earn his Masters in Electrical Engineering (1954) and his PhD in Microwave Engineering (1956). His dissertation entitled “Theory and Applications of Ferrites at Microwave Frequencies” is still being cited today. While in college he was also a member of Tau Beta Pi, a national honorary engineering society. One day as he sat in what he called a “rather boring class”, he and a classmate came up with the idea to build an electronic device which, when attached to a black and white TV, would transform it into a color television. A prototype of the “Colordaptor” was made and soon an article and small ad placed in Radio Electronic News led to the development of Perry’s first business and 15 years of fulfilling mail orders out of his family home on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park. In 1996, while reflecting on his various businesses and what he had learned, Perry wisely wrote, “Mail order is a great form of business - maybe internet ordering will be even bigger!”

In addition to building small businesses, Perry was also a leader in microwave engineering and manufacturing for many companies including Sylvania, Melabs (a company he co-founded), SCM, and Ampex. He ended his career with a business started with his sister Pat in 1976. Named Vartron, this brother/sister-owned company designed computer and accounting systems and provided support for various local businesses including Draegars Supermarkets in Menlo Park.

While working for Sylvania, Perry attended a company party where he met Linda. As the story goes, he wasn’t a fan of the dress she was wearing, but he was very impressed with her quick wit and ability to hold her own in a conversation. The two married in 1958 and went on to build a wonderful family of 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, and many beloved family pets.

While Perry was a savvy businessman, he also dabbled in investments and real estate. After taking an architecture class at age 24 he came home wanting to try his hand at designing and building a home. He and his father, Perry Sr., went on to build four homes together in the Menlo Park and Palo Alto areas between 1956 and 1970. In 1961, Perry bought a 1-acre lot in Woodside Hills with a stunning view of the Bay Area. It was there he built the home that he lived in until the day he died. For 65 years that home has been the scene of countless family gatherings of multiple generations and the backdrop for many cherished family memories.

After Perry retired, he turned his attention to public service, serving on the Woodside Town Council for years, including one term as the Mayor of Woodside. During his tenure with the city he was most proud of computerizing many manual, paper-based processes to create greater efficiencies.

While Perry built many things such as businesses, homes, investments, and invention prototypes, the most cherished thing he ever built was his family. Together, he and Linda raised 5 wonderful children and have been blessed with nieces, nephews, inlaws, grandkids, and great grandkids. Perry was his happiest when surrounded by family in his roles of Dad, Uncle Perry, and Poppa. Sitting at the head of the table at holiday meals, his eyes would twinkle, he’d flash his electric smile, he’d toss out a few “dad jokes,” and he would beam with pride and love having everyone together.

A quote by Louis L’Amour states, “It is this by which we measure a man, by what he does with his life, by what he creates to leave behind.” If this is true, Perry clearly lived a life of greatness. He will be missed, and his love lives on in all whom he leaves behind.

Perry is survived by his wife Linda, and his children Zana, Lisa, Jessa, Andi, and Steffan. He also leaves behind 10 grandchildren, 2 great grand-daughters, and many nieces and nephews. Perry was predeceased by his parents Araxie and Perry Vartanian, Sr. of Menlo Park and his sister Pat Koenig of Los Altos.