Obituary of Hans Peter Lie
Hans Peter Lie
October 17, 1934 – December 5, 2024
Hans Peter Lie, of Watchung, a brilliant physicist, gifted musician, and modern-day Renaissance man, passed away on December 5, 2024. Born in Rochester, New York, he lived in Connecticut and Maryland before settling in New Jersey in 1965.
Hans attended Monroe High School, where he met his future wife, Judith Clement. After high school, Hans pursued higher education at Amherst College, earning a bachelor's degree in physics. Though torn between careers in music and physics — as a talented pianist, organist, and first violinist in his high school orchestra — Hans ultimately chose physics, going on to earn a master's degree from Yale University.
His professional career was illustrious and impactful. He began by developing guidance systems for satellite launches before joining Bell Laboratories, where he rose to the position of lab director. His work at Bell Labs took him to Antarctica for three seasons as part of a research team studying the earth’s magnetic fields, a contribution that led to Lie Cliff in Antarctica being named in his honor. Hans also played an important role in the early design of integrated circuits, advancing technological innovation. His work included critical projects for the U.S. military, as well as consulting on medical imaging with a Danish company. While he fulfilled many roles, he realized that what he loved most about his work was designing the instruments to do the research. Upon retirement, he worked as a consultant, continuing the work on hearing aid design that he had begun at Bell Labs.
In retirement, Hans pursued his passion for music by singing in choirs, playing the organ, learning to play the viola da gamba, and honing the craft of organ repair. However, his talents didn't end there. Hans was a superb craftsman, metalsmith, woodworker, tool designer, problem-solver, and a lover of the natural world. Whether it was restoring a beloved object or crafting something from scratch, there was nothing he couldn't figure out how to fix, build, or improve.
Hans was preceded in death by his parents, Einar Lie and Mildred Shepard Lie, and his daughter-in-law, Sharon Pell Lie. He is survived by his wife, Judith C. Lie; his children, Andrea Lie Farmer (Terry), Kirsten Lie Cackoski (Michael), Hans Peter "Pete" Lie (Linda), and Carl Lie; grandchildren Heather Fasko-McMillan (Adam), Melinda Cackoski Nickerson (Arlan), Aaron Cackoski (Tiffany), Jacob Farmer (Chanelle), and Sean Cackoski (Enrico Benedetti); and great-grandchildren Malcolm, David, and Calvin McMillan. He is also survived by his sister, Randi Lie Wortham.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
