Walt Eisenhower
MOS Founder and Manager of Process Engineering & Technology 

Walt Eisenhower was a founding engineer of MOS Technology. When the team of eight former Motorola employees arrived at MOS Technology to begin work on what would become the 6502, Walt worked with the team to overcome various production challenges. Throughout his career, Walt was responsible for innovations that subsequently became standard throughout the industry.

The following tribute was provided by his daughter, Diane Eisehower-Hughes.

A Tribute

​​Walter D. Eisenhower, Jr.A Tribute
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my father, Walter David Eisenhower, Jr. and the part he played in the progress of science in the second half of the 20th Century. 
Walt was born in Reading, an industrial town in eastern Pennsylvania, in 1928.  Having much freedom to roam the streets and the forested mountainside, his childhood was filled with lessons learned first hand through getting ideas and trying them out. His inventions and pranks, required resourcefulness and quick wits. Right out of high school, and just at the close of WWII, he joined the Navy where he was able to get his first two years of college. During the ensuing years he married, finished college with a degree in Chemistry and launched into his career in chemical-related pursuits, which led him into solid state technology.
He was fascinated by his work. He would, at times, sneak back into the plant after hours to continue work on his latest project. At his many jobs, he would apply his wits and resourcefulness along with a relentless determination to find answers and solutions to the technological problems he faced. As you peruse his “Technical Contributions” you will notice many significant discoveries and processes.
As his daughter, and not much of a science buff, I was rather unaware of my father’s impressive career. But I did know him to be a dedicated husband and father. He and my mom were a generous and caring team who raised five kids, and weathered life’s storms together. To the end of his life he stayed by his wife’s side, relentlessly searching for a cure for her failing health.
With good reason, Walter was very proud of his contributions to the success of the 6502. Knowing that it was still being used in so many other useful applications, gave him a great sense of accomplishment. 
-Diana Eisenhower Hughes

List of Walt's innovative contributions to the semiconductor industry.

2002 Letter to grandson explaining the goal of the 6502 and listing his contributions to the semiconductor industry. Click on image to view PDF of full document.

MOS Inter-office memo regarding reflow of pyrolitic glass

Walt with daughter, Eileen (left) and wife, Eleanor (right)

Walt with wife, Eleanor.

US Patents awarded to John, Walt Eisenhower, and Ernie Helfrich regarding innovations conceived by MOS Technology

Brochure distributed at the founding/open house for MOS Technology (circa 1969). The theme of the event was "Scene of the New Revolution," a prophecy that came true when MOS Technology introduced the 6502 just 6 years later, ushering in the personal computing revolution. Click on image to view PDF of full document.

MOS Technology brochure introducing its management team (circa 1970). Courtesy of Diana Eisenhower-Hughes, daughter of Walt Eisenhower (click on image to view PDF of full document).