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Tech innovator and developer of the Portable Document Format (PDF) Dr. Charles “Chuck” Geschke passed away on Friday, April 16, 2021. He and co-founder Dr. John Warnock developed revolutionizing software that changed how people create and communicate, explains Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen in an email.
He wrote the company’s employees saying, “This is a huge loss for the entire Adobe community and technology industry.” Narayen added Dr. Geschke had been a guide and hero for decades.
Dr. Geschke announced at the Adobe 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders he would be retiring effective immediately following the meeting. On April 6, 2020, he retired and 
became a director emeritus — he continued to participate in board activities.
Dr. Warnock said that when he and “Chuck” started “Adobe, we wanted to create a place where we would want to work. We wanted to develop innovative software and create a culture that empowered employees to be their best.”
“He always called himself the luckiest man in the world,” his wife, Nancy Geschke recalled. He was proud of being a famous businessman but his focus was his family.
In recognition of their achievements, in 2009, President Barack Obama awarded the Adobe co-founders with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Drs. Geschke and Warnock also received the Computer Entrepreneur Award from the IEEE Computer Society and the American Electronics Association Medal of Honor.
Adobe users left comments for Dr. Geschke on the Fox News website. wolfgan1 wrote: “Have fun in heaven, Mr. Adobe. You have done humanity a great service!” Another fan Porkchop 33 added: “As a 53-year-old graphic designer I guess I owe this guy a lot!” In response to the previous comment, RFor1 said: “54 YO here Graphic Designer… Mac Plus, Aldus Pagemaker, and a Laser Writer… The good ‘ol days! We have seen a lot of changes.”
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
CTV News: Founder of Adobe and developer of PDFs dies at age 81
Business Wire: Adobe Co-Founder Dr. Charles M. Geschke to Retire from Board of Directors
FOX News: Founder of Adobe and developer of PDFs dies at age 81
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Richard Masoner’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image by Schmiebel Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Common License
