Robert Noyce, Dec. 12, 1927 – June 3, 1990

You can Google him:
Robert Noyce, the “mayor” of
Silicon Valley

Always tinkering
As a kid he built aircraft
Motorized his sled

Called Rapid Robert
For the way he sped through schools
Grinnell, MIT

Philco and Shockley
Couldn’t hold him long; soon he
Co-founded Fairchild

Then helped found Intel
Genius trio: Gordon Moore,
Andy Grove and Noyce

Inventor’s vision
Was just too big for this world
So he thought smaller

He and Jack Kilby
Credited with inventing
The first microchip

Noyce also fostered
Others’ creativity
Throughout the valley

His parting message:
High-tech education key
To U.S. success

Said that meant teaching
“The lowest and poorest,” too.
Are we listening?