Without whom our lives would all be very different today.  Co-founder of Microsoft and a visionary computing guy, gave the initial impetus to Bill Gates to get involved with project chess back in the day which is what led to desktop computers as we now know them, along with the software.

He left in 83 just as Microsoft was really taking off because he thought he was dying, but remained at the forefront of technological innovation his entire life.  A real giant in the industry and a lovely, quiet man.  Very sad, 65 is no age really.