Founder of Galaxy Power; genealogy researcher
Howard Kaepplein.
(Courtesy photo)
Howard Kaepplein, 81, of Harvard passed away on Sept. 3, 2014, in Boston from pulmonary fibrosis. At his side were his survivors, loving wife of 55 years, Gail (Chadbourne), and son Mark of Arlington.
He was born and raised in Everett to parents Francis (Frank) and Margaret (Hysong) Kaepplein. He is also predeceased by his siblings, Frank of Fairhaven, N.J., Margaret Fuller of Reading, and Ruth Powers of Melrose. He is survived by many nieces and nephews.
Howard was a U.S. Air Force veteran, and after graduating from MIT began a career in international sales and marketing of semiconductors that took him traveling throughout Europe and Asia and living in London. He worked at Digital Equipment Corp. in Maynard, managing a power supply engineering group. When Digital switched to outsourcing, he founded Galaxy Power as president, with his engineers to design, build, and sell DC converters to Digital, Cisco, Intel, IBM, and others. He retired with the sale of the company.
Howard researched his and his wife’s genealogy, involving him with the North Andover and South Berwick, Maine, historical societies, and he served as president of the Chadbourne Family Association. He located distant German relatives and initiated a family reunion for 100 U.S. and German Kaeppleins, held in Waghausel, Germany. Based on his other ancestors’ role in the Salem witch trials, he researched and wrote “What Caused the 1692 Witchcraft Hysteria,” publishing it just two weeks before his death.
Visiting hours were Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Badger Funeral Home in Littleton. Burial was on Thursday, Sept. 11, at Bellevue Cemetery in Harvard. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to a charity of your choice.
