Adolfo Benigno Suárez

Adolfo Suárez, a Spanish inventor, beloved husband, father, grandfather and legendary paella-maker, died on Oct. 22 at his home in Newport Beach, Calif. He was 76 years old.

Adolfo Benigno Felipe Suárez Cuervo was born on June 1, 1949, in Oviedo, the capital city of Asturias, Spain. Until about the age of 5, he was raised by his grandparents on a farm in the small village of Santa Cruz de Llanera. He later went to school in Oviedo, where he was a bright and sometimes mischievous student, crafting his own science experiments, which on one occasion included turning the local water fountain green. Each Christmas, Adolfo, his parents and younger brother would return to the farm, where they built elaborate nativity scenes so large they filled an entire room.

Adolfo received a Master's Degree in Engineering Telecommunications from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where he was also a PhD candidate. Though he never learned how to read music, he played the bandurria, a small Spanish string instrument, and while at university was part of a troupe that busked at restaurants and parties in Madrid.

In 1970, at the age of 21, he met Karen Furukawa, who was in Spain on her year abroad studying Spanish, at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. It would be 10 years before she moved back home.

In the summer of 1976, on a trip to California, Adolfo and Karen were married at a chapel in Hollywood. They spent their honeymoon driving up the West Coast to Oregon, and camping along the way. Four years later, Adolfo left the company he founded in Madrid so that Karen could finish her bachelor’s degree in Spanish at the University of California, Los Angeles. Knowing how much it meant to Karen to finish her studies, Adolfo told her that if he could not find a job in engineering in the United States, he would be happy selling hot dogs instead.

In Los Angeles, Adolfo was quickly hired by the company United Technologies Lexar, where he designed the first private telephone network that used both voice and data in the world. He later founded the DATOS Corporation, where he designed an early version of high-speed internet access provided by telephone lines, called DSL. Karen helped design the software, which was awarded three patents in the United States and Canada. He sold the company, but continued to work there together with Karen. Their son, Victor Tadashi, was born in 1989.

Adolfo later became the President of Andrew Telecom, the Vice President, General Manager of Telefónica USA, Inc., as well as a board director of the Spain-USA Chamber of Commerce. He was a Life Member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). He traveled often for business between Russia, South America, and Spain, accumulating over three million frequent flyer miles. But Adolfo often reflected that he was happiest waking up to find himself in a modest motel: It meant he was travelling with his family, rather than for work.

He spent many hours building model train sets with Victor, and attended every single one of his theater plays and tennis matches — even when no other parents would come to watch. He was his number one fan. Last year, Adolfo became Buelu to his grandson, Hesami. Adolfo was often happiest in his final months laughing and playing with Hesami, reading in Spanish to him, and helping him fall asleep at night.

Adolfo was charming, generous, and loved to share his knowledge of history — particularly if it had anything to do with Spain, which it often did. On the last day of his life, he went to the park with his family, ate a cheeseburger and patatas bravas cooked by his son for dinner, kissed his grandson goodnight and drove home.

A few hours later, he passed away in his bed. He left suddenly, and far too soon, and will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, and all those who were lucky to know Adolfo.

He is survived by his wife Karen, son Victor Tadashi, daughter-in-law Livia, grandson Hesami, and younger brother Jorge.

The family encourages you to make donations in Adolfo's name to his favorite non-profit founded by Asturian Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen