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Dr. John K. Prentice, born October 4, 1954 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was a physicist who possessed an infinitely supple and curious mind. John's scientific career began in his mid-teens tracking satellites for the Smithsonian across the northern New Mexico skies. Over the next 40 years he went on to explore a broad spectrum of scientific questions, pursuing projects in fields as diverse as computational physics, solid dynamics, quantum mechanics, medicine, biological physics and geophysics. Computers and computing were a unifying theme in his career. He often reminisced about carting 100-pound boxes of computer cards on the back of his bike between Sandia High School and the UNM computing center on a route that was uphill both ways and buried most times of year in ten feet of snow. His claims that in those days all computing was done by flickering candlelight were disregarded by most. Another highlight of his teenage years was his participation in the 1972 International Science Fair where he won a variety of awards for his project on calculating satellite orbitals. He continued as an avid science fair supporter throughout his adult life, achieving notoriety among friends and colleagues for his persistent and insistent springtime e-campaigns to recruit judges. John studied mathematics and physics at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where he completed his PhD in quantum scattering theory in Physics in 1992 under the guidance of Dr. Colston Chandler. His professional career began early when he was hired at the Phillips Laboratory (then AFWL) on Kirtland Air Force Base in the mid-1970's to develop computer codes to model solid hydrodynamics phenomenology. He went on from there to work as a computational physicist for a number of scientific R&D companies in Albuquerque through the 1980's. In 1981 he married Mary Z. Fuka, also a physicist, sealing a love affair of heart, mind and spirit in a partnership that gave shape to their best work and happiest adventures. Together, they founded Quetzal Computational Associates in 1992 to provide scientific consulting services to the national labs, military and private industry. They moved the company to Durango, Colorado, in 1996, where it was reorganized in 2000 as Quetzal Biomedical, Inc., an investor-funded medical technology startup. They relocated with it to Boulder, Colorado in 2003. John led Quetzal as CEO to develop new pacing therapies and devices for treating congestive heart failure. He regarded this work as the most satisfying of his career. John's interests turned to the geosciences in 2005 when he was recruited to direct the Boulder-based scientific R&D efforts of Terralliance, an innovative technology-driven exploration startup. He also very much enjoyed teaching as a lecturer during that time in the University of Colorado's Department of Applied Mathematics. Most recently, John started TriplePoint Physics LLC, a consulting venture focused on developing new technologies for geothermal energy exploration and development. Beyond his love of science, John's life was fuelled by a passion for the outdoors. He was a long-time member of the American Alpine Club. He was a rock-climber, ice-climber, tele-skier from the days of true double-cambered skinny skis, and mountaineer who ascended peaks in Colorado, Mexico, The Pacific Northwest and South America. In recent years he most enjoyed hiking and camping trips in the Colorado Rockies and Utah's desert canyon country, especially if there was a little trout stream nearby to provide a pan of fish for breakfast (and perhaps for dinner, too). John Prentice's life was cut short on January 5th, 2010, in Boulder, Colorado, when he died from head injuries sustained in an accident several days earlier. His wife was with him at the end, as was her brother, Daniel Fuka, who John loved as his own brother. John is survived by his beloved wife, Dr. Mary Z. Fuka; by Agbeli Ameko, who was like a son to him; by his parents, Glenn and Evelyn Prentice; by his brothers, Glenn and Steve Prentice; by his brothers-in-laws Louis, Joseph and Daniel Fuka & their wives, Lisa, Jean and Melissa; by his niece, Cassandra Prentice, her husband Mike Shore; and daughters, Alexandra and Olivia; by nephews, Daniel Prentice, Christopher Prentice and their wives Sara and Ambrosia; by nephews, Cornell and Luke Fuka; by many friends and colleagues; and by his two feline companions, Chisum and Luna. We terribly miss his fearless optimism, the constant stream of ideas and conversation that flowed in his company and e-mail correspondence, his wit and enthusiasm for finding out what might lie around the next corner, his mentorship and support in all our dearest projects and ambitions. An online memorial open to all visitors is being established at www.johnkprentice.org. John's wife and family would especially like to thank Dr. Lee Nelson of Boulder Neurological Associates and the staff of the Boulder Community Hospital ICU for their wonderfully compassionate care of John in his final hospitalization. In lieu of a memorial service, John's family and friends plan to celebrate his life in an informal gathering in the place and season he loved most, the Rocky Mountains at the height of summer. For those who would like to honor him with a donation in his name, organizations dear to his heart included: The Central NM Science & Engineering Research via the STEM Education Outreach Programs at UNM (https://unm.securesites.net/give-online/fdn/); The Southern Utah Wilderness Association (http://www.suwa.org); and The Colorado Science & Engineering Fair (http://www.csef.colostate.edu/).
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