John Emerson Cobb

John Emerson Cobb passed away Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. He was born April 16, 1930, in Beattyville, Kentucky. The family moved to Mitchell, South Dakota, when his father, Emerson Cobb, Ph.D, accepted a position teaching chemistry at Dakota Wesleyan University.

John romped through high school winning highest honors in both scholastics and sports. In 1947, he was named the outstanding high school athlete of South Dakota, starring in football and track. As a 14-year-old freshman, he won the state half mile title and set records in the 100-yard dash and the 440. Graduation in 1948 ended what the United Press hailed as one of the most impressive prep football careers in the State’s history. In two years, a regular halfback, he gained 2,155 yards from scrimmage and scored 244 points.

John attended the University of Kentucky for a year before transferring to Stockton College, University of Pacific (U.O.P.), in 1949. At both schools he continued to play brilliant football. After taking time out for Officers Training School, U.S. Navy, at Treasure Island, he was commissioned Ensign and was a Korean veteran. He resumed his studies at U.O.P. and earned his B.S. in chemistry in 1952. Following a year at the University of Colorado, he continued post graduate work in nuclear engineering at the University of California at Berkeley and UCLA. In 1958, he earned his M.S. in physics and chemistry at U.O.P.

Soon after, he affiliated with Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in Sunnyvale, California, as research scientist in the NASA advanced development program. His work in the aerospace industry is concerned with analysis and design of nuclear power systems. He lectured at the School of Engineering, U.O.P., where he taught graduate nuclear reactor physics.

John was A Phi Kappa Phi and a member of the American Nuclear Society, American Chemical Society and American Rocket Society. He is listed in American Men of Science.

In the field of research, he has obtained several patents and has had numerous papers published and read before the American Nuclear Society. His perhaps proudest was a neutronic reactor he designed.

He was a numismatic fanatic. John first was introduced to that other “sport of kings,” coin collecting, at the age of 13. In 1963, he was co-chair of the California State Numismatic Association and had been auctioneer for that organization and the West Coast Numismatic Association. During that time, Cobb’s numismatic library consisted of 80 volumes, principally U.S. coinages. He had won many exhibit awards on material that ranged from territorial gold to colonial tokens.

John married his high school sweetheart, Frances Ann, and had five children: Tom, Kathy, Deidre, Bruce and Cristi. During that time, they lived in Los Altos Hills in a house the Cobb’s designed.

John went on to do many things after he left Lockheed and in the early 70s he headed to gold country in Calaveras County, California. As a real estate investor, he bought, subdivided and sold many properties. He owned a cattle ranch called the Lazy JC. Owned and drilled water wells. A true entrepreneur. He was a captain for Calaveras County Sheriff’s Reserves for a from 1975 to 1976. He enjoyed gold panning and hunting.

When he finally retired in 1998, he settled in Libby on the Kootenai River. He is survived by his five children and four grandchildren: Donald Cobb, Kendrick Cobb, Katelyn Cobb and Kimberly Foss.