Arnold, CA… William Randolph “Randy” Abernethy was born 22 August 1937 to Peter and Jesse Abernethy in Hickory, North Carolina. He had two brothers, Peter (Boise, ID) and John (deceased) and a sister, Hannah (Anchorage, Alaska). Randy graduated from University of NC at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He married Kay Payne, and had two children, Randy Jr, CEO RS-M, and Jessica, teacher. Randy worked as a software engineer including work on the Hubble Space Telescope at Lockheed and the Pioneer Space Flights at the Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena. After retiring, he and his wife, Kay, moved from Pleasanton, CA to the lovely redwoods of Arnold, CA, where they enjoyed golfing, friends, and family.

On Tuesday, January 10, 2017, Randy passed away at 79 at Sonora Regional Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Kay; his brother, Peter; his sister, Hannah; his children including his son, Randy, and daughter-in-law, Hideko, his daughter, Jessica, and son-in-law Garett; and his grandchildren, Alyssa, Logan, and Brayden. Following a long time family tradition, he was an Eagle Scout and in the Order of the Arrow. His family would like to ask in lieu of flowers in Randy’s memory that donations be given to Murphys Boy Scout Troop 343 (mail to PO Box 1026, Angels Camp, CA 95222).