John F Wild Jun. 20, 1942 - Feb. 21, 2012 Resident of Danville John Frederick Wild passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by loved ones, on Tuesday, February 21, 2012.

He endured a lengthy illness with dignity and humor. John was born in Erie, Pennsylvania on June 20, 1942. He graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Chemistry in 1964 and received his PhD in Nuclear Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) in 1968.

During his first year at M.I.T, John met his wife, Linda, in Boston, Massachusetts. They married in August of 1966. John was a loving and devoted husband and father. In 1969, John and Linda moved to Livermore, California. They settled permanently in Danville in 1974.

John began his career as a Nuclear Chemist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory at the age of 27 and continued working at the Lab until his retirement in 2005 at the age of 62. John was fortunate to have a career that was also his passion. John had many hobbies. He was an amateur astronomer and a talented Bridge player. He played in adult volleyball leagues and was an avid golfer for nearly 50 years. He and Linda loved to travel together. John was caring, gentle and always willing to help others. He was an intellectual who had an amazing store of knowledge. He was kind, humorous and down to earth.

John will be deeply missed by his family and friends alike. A gathering of friends and family is planned for this summer to celebrate his life. Anyone wishing to make a donation to honor John's memory can send donations to: UCSF Memory and Aging Center, PO Box 1207, San Francisco, CA 94143-1207.