Werner Dettwiler
From The Space Library
 Werner Dettwiler | |
| Birth Name | Werner Dettwiler |
|---|---|
| Birth Place | Switzerland |
| Date of Death | Sept 16, 2013 |
| Place of Death | Switzerland |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Nationality | Switzerland/Canada |
| Notable Works | Co-Founder of MacDonald Dettwiler |
Born in Switzerland, Werner (Vern) Dettwiler emigrated to Canada with his family in the 1940’s when he was 12 years old. They settled in Smithers, a small northern farming community in BC. Vern had a passion for mathematics and physics, and a Swiss propensity for precision and detail. Graduating from UBC with a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics, his calling was set on a path towards computing.
Vern was one of two principal founders of MacDonald-Dettwiler (MDA), the other one being John Spencer MacDonald, both holding impressive positions in academia. The two shared a vision based on a desire to do exciting engineering work in an environment where technical creativity could find personal as well as professional fulfillment. The vision included creating a place where promising young engineering graduates from BC universities could find challenging employment on the West Coast as participants in a Canadian firm operating at the world-class level of engineering excellence. On February 3, 1969, MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) started as a part-time operation out of John MacDonald’s basement, moving in 1970 to a one-room office in Vancouver.
Werner (Vern) Dettwiler died on Monday, September 16, 2013 in Switzerland, where he had been living for 20 years since retiring from MDA. He was survived by his wife Cecile, two daughters, a son-in-law and a grand-daughter.
Werner Dettwiler - circa 1969
