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Donald Michael Korn passed away peacefully on December 18, 2025 in Vero Beach, Florida while holding the hand of his life companion Mary Anne Hodel. He was the son of Harry Korn and Belle Wyman Korn and born in Los Angeles, California, September 17, 1943.
He is survived by his brother, Steven Korn of Bainbridge, Washington. He was predeceased by his wife, Ingrid Garrelts Korn.
He received his BS in physics in 1965, Phi Beta Kappa, MS in Physics in 1966, and his Ph.D in Physics in 1971, all from UCLA. As a post doctoral researcher at M.I.T. Lincoln Labs, Don was recognized for identifying the residual impurities in ultra-pure semiconductors. He joined 3M Central Research Laboratory and pioneered the field of digital radiography by inventing a size-scalable digital X-ray sensor. For this work, he was awarded the Charles Ives Medal by the Journal of Applied Photographic Engineering.:
Don then joined Eastman Kodak, where he conducted research in medical imaging devices and simultaneously held various different vice president positions, including: leading the research, design and manufacture of a line of medical hardcopy output devices; General Manager and Vice President, Equipment, Software Platform Center; Associate Director and Vice President, Imaging Research and Advanced Development – Equipment, Software and Delta Materials and Chief Technical Officer, Digital and Applied Imaging. After he retired from Kodak in 1999, he pioneered a medical imaging business and then served as CEO of two different medical imaging startups and was a senior executive at Silverbrook Research, which brought the Memjet Inkjet imaging technology to market.
He had the honor of serving as the commencement speaker at the UCLA Physics & Astronomy Department’s UCLA graduation ceremony in 2022.
He loved to bike on the Jungle Trail and travel. He was an avid photographer of birds in flight. His photos can be viewed at: donkorn.smugmug.com.
A gathering of Don’s friends will be held January 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm in Vero Beach, Florida. If interested in attending, please contact donkorncelebrationoflife@gmail.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Don can be made to the Physics & Astronomy Department. Make checks payable to UCLA Foundation; Memo: Chair’s Discretionary Fund-The Physics & Astronomy Dept. #60025. Mail to: UCLA Foundation. ATTN: Madeleine Martin, P.O. Box 7145, Pasadena, CA 91109-9903.
Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach, Florida.
© 2026 Lowther Funeral Home. All Rights Reserved.
Relly Keller - Friend
December 22, 2025, 4:53 pm
I was lucky to meet Don in 2022 when he travelled to Germany together with Mary Ann. Experienced him as a very warm hearted man. Unfortunately there now will be no possibility to intensify our relationship . My thoughts are with Mary Ann who was at his sight and held his hand when he left us all. Miss you ! Relly Keller
Phyllis Meichel - Friend
December 23, 2025, 4:01 am
I only met Don once while visiting at Mary Anne’s home. He was a lovey man and he and Mary Anne were such a good match. I am sorry he died so soon.
Kathe Kilmer - Neighbor
December 23, 2025, 4:20 am
Don was my husband’s boss at Kodak and he and Ingrid our neighbors. They were wonderful friends to us and kind to our kids as well. One of many examples, Ingrid hand sewed a beautiful doll for our daughter and they always had special treats. Riding in the back of his pickup in their long driveway! Don was very patient with them. I’m sorry Bob can’t add about working with Don as he passed away 4 years ago, but I know he had a very positive experience being in his lab. A life well lived all the way.
Maria Pignataro - Friend
December 23, 2025, 12:58 pm
I was blessed to have been a neighbor of Mr. Don Korn as a resident of Sanibel. He and his then wife, Ingrid, welcomed us to the island and became mentors. I truly cherished the memories of those years. It is with deep respect that I say we lost one of the good ones. I will miss him, his intellect, his wisdom, his joy for living life fully. My heartfelt condolences to his family and to all who loved him.
Dave Wyman - First Cousin
December 24, 2025, 5:25 am
Don Korn was a favorite cousin, because he lived in Los Angeles and most of my cousins lived in Ohio, with whom I had little contact. Don, like his brother, Steve, was reserved, as was their father, Uncle Harry, although perhaps only in comparison to Aunt Belle, who was extremely outgoing. I knew Don better than Steve, because Don and I were closer in age; Don was a few years old than me. I remember visiting the Korn family’s home, located in Los Angeles just east of La Cienega Blvd and just south of Slauson Ave. In my memory, Don had an orange traffic cone in his room, along with a sign on the wall that read something like “Blessed are those that go around in circles, for they shall be known as Big Wheels.” For me, that made Don someone to look up to. Later, the Korn’s lived in an amazing, custom built house just north of Slauson, on Corning Street. Don was good enough to take my brother Dan and me to Death Valley for a few days; that was quite an adventure. And he took us to see Thelonious Monk, the famed jazz pianist and composer, at Royce Hall, UCLA. Years later, when Don worked for Kodak, he told me that one day film would be obsolete and cameras would create electronic images. (While Don said he wasn’t much of a bird photographer, his online images say otherwise.) As adults, Don and I didn’t communicate often. We did exchange emails and phone calls over the years and we saw each other on occasion. The last time I saw Don was with Mary Anne, for a very pleasant lunch outdoors, just up from the Hermosa Beach Pier. It was easy to see Don and Mary Anne were very close. They were in Los Angeles for Don’s commencement address to the graduates of the UCLA physics and astronomy department. While we agreed we should meet again, that was our last time together. Don was and will always be my terrific cousin.