Jose Maria Larralde Borrego

Jose M. Borrego, 87, of Brighton, MA passed away August 17, 2018 in his home surrounded by his loving family. He and his family received support from CareGroup Parmenter Hospice and Beacon InHome, as well as recently from staff and residents at The Residence at Watertown Square assisted living community.

Jose was born on March 21, 1931 in Ojuelos de Jalisco, Mexico, the son of Jose M. and Maria

(Larralde) Borrego. He was predeceased by his wife, Sylvia Ruth Ogden of Whitman, MA, who passed away at their home in Brighton in November 2005.

In 1955, Jose received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios in Monterrey, Mexico. Later that year he immigrated to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship to study engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was there that he met Sylvia, and the two were united in marriage in June 1958. Jose earned from MIT a Master of Science degree in 1957, Masters in Electrical Engineering in 1958, and Doctor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1961. His studies focused on thermoelectrics and semiconductors and coincided with the work of department classmate Paul Gray, eventual MIT president from 1980-1990.

A scientist and educator by trade, Jose started his professional career as an assistant professor at MIT from 1961-1962. He returned to Mexico to serve as a professor and establish the electrical engineering department at the Centro de Investigacion del National Polytechnic Institute Instituto Politecnio Nacional, Mexico City, from 1962-1965. He and his family came back to the United States in 1965, where they settled in Clifton Park, NY and were active in the St. Edward the Confessor Church. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1976.

Jose was a professor in the Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering Department of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) for 40 years, where he taught and developed undergraduate courses in Semiconductor Electronic Devices, Solid State Electronics, Microwaves, CAD of Microwave Circuits and graduate courses in Physics of Semiconductor Materials, Properties of Compound Semiconductors and Solid-State Microwave Devices. While at RPI he published more than 130 papers in refereed journals and gave over 95 conference presentations related to his research in the areas of radiation effects in microwave devices, RF non-destructive testing, solar cells and thermophotovoltaic cells with emphasis on device physics and device and material characterization. He was granted the title Professor Emeritus in 1994.

Jose and Sylvia moved to a longstanding family home in Brighton, MA in 1995. In Boston, Jose spent a decade consulting on a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute program sponsored by Lockheed-Martin in the area of thermophotovoltaic cells while co-authoring more than 10 papers and delivering several conference presentations. In 2007, after small start-up MTPV Power Corporation joined Boston University’s Business Incubator Program, he worked for MTPV to assist in the research, development, and commercialization of micron-gap thermophotovoltaics technology. Jose’s contributions focused on photovoltaic cell modeling and electrical characterization, securing two U.S. patents (9,755,095 and 9,712,105). He worked for MTPV until 2016, retiring at age 85 because of declining health. In 2018 MTPV recognized Jose’s contributions designating him as Principal Engineer Emeritus.

In addition to his professional career, Jose was a volunteer for Good Shepherd Hospice in Boston. He was a member of the Brighton Allston Congregational Church, serving as a volunteer treasurer and volunteer for its food pantry suppers. Prior to Sylvia’s passing, they were active in the arts, season subscribers to the Boston ballet, symphony orchestra, lyrical opera, Museum of Fine Arts, and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum among others. As a duo in retirement, Sylvia kept Jose busy with a long-list of home projects and arts and crafts.  

Jose is survived by three loving children and their spouses, Paulina Borrego (James Earls) of Northfield, MA, Maryanne Danguillecourt of Miami, FL, and Francis (Meg Nowak) Borrego of Brighton, MA; six grandchildren, Gabriel Reese Nowak Borrego and Ava Linh Crowningshield Borrego of Brighton, MA; Lara, Tessa, and Adolfo Jr. Danguillecourt of Miami, FL; and Anna Danguillecourt (John) Hayden of Barnstable, MA; one great-grandchild, Chloe Hayden; and many nieces, nephews and cousins living throughout Mexico.

He was predeceased by his two older sisters, Josephina Crabtree and Maria Garibay, and older brother Francisco Borrego.

Jose’s kindness and intellect will be missed by his friends and family. His and Sylvia's legacy and memories will live on through their near and distant family and friends.

Friends and family are invited to a graveside service at 12:30 PM, Friday, August 24 at the Newton Cemetery (Section GG, Family Lot 70,5) 791 Walnut St, Newton Center, MA 02459.  We recommend meeting at the front entrance at 12:15 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a hospice agency of your choice. To light a candle or send the family an online condolence please visit (http://www.lehmanreen.com/). Funeral arrangements are by the Lehman, Reen, McNamara Funeral Home, Brighton, MA.

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