Von Raesfeld Obituary, Death Cause – It breaks my heart to have to tell you that my grandfather, Don Von Raesfeld, Sr., passed away on Easter Sunday at St. Clare’s Church where he was attending mass. He was 96 years old. There aren’t many people who were born and raised in the Bay Area anymore, but those who are old enough to recall the days when Santa Clara was still a city will remember my grandfather and the impact he had on what is now known as Silicon Valley.
The Don Von Raesfeld Power Plant (Silicon Valley Power) and The Von Raesfeld Family Fire Tower at Mission College are two examples of how prominent the name Von Raesfeld is in this region. Both of these structures may be found in California. Even though his name is engraved on many of the structures in our city, many of the people who live here are unaware of the incredible contribution that this man made to our neighborhood.
What we see now is a direct outcome of his unrelenting dedication to a city that he genuinely loved. My grandfather was an inventor who was not afraid to challenge the status quo, and he was instrumental in the formation of partnerships including the community, local businesses, and the government of his city. He was a visionary. In addition to spending half of his life working for the government, he was the owner of his own small business.
Coast to Coast Hardware, where the majority of the members of our family found employment at some point in their careers. He began his professional life in Public Works after graduating from Santa Clara University, and then went on to hold the position of Santa Clara City Manager from 1960 to 1985. He played an important role in attracting technological businesses to the region, such as Intel Corporation, National Semiconductor, and Applied Materials.
Who now call Santa Clara, California, their home. During his time in office, he oversaw the construction of a number of noteworthy projects, including California’s Great America, Mission College, and the Santa Clara Convention Center, all of which contributed to the evolution of the region. After that, in the knowledge that he hadn’t finished his work, he went on to serve on the City Council for a period of four years, which came to a conclusion in 1992.