Mircea “Nick” Gatulescu was born on November 2, 1944, in Bucharest, Romania, the fourth of five siblings and the only surviving son after the death of his older brother in childhood. From an early age, he was serious and reflective, shaped by family responsibility and a strong sense of purpose.

An exceptional student, Mircea earned two university degrees: mathematics from the University of Bucharest and economics from the Academy of Economic Studies, Romania’s most prestigious institution of higher education. His professional work placed him among the early practitioners of computer science. At a time when programming was done with punch cards, he wrote code and helped build systems in a field still in its infancy. He also tutored students in advanced mathematics, sharing his knowledge with patience and clarity.

In 1969, Mircea met Ulpia Roman, an architect. They married that same year. Despite skepticism from others, as Ulpia was twelve years older and had a young daughter, Sanziana, their marriage endured for 56 years, marked by love and deep commitment.

In 1984, Mircea, Ulpia, and Sanziana emigrated to the United States, joining Mircea’s sister, Gabriela Isac, who had immigrated earlier. They settled in New York, where Mircea spent his entire professional career at New York Medical College in Valhalla. Ulpia established a successful architectural practice, and Sanziana went on to become an academic surgeon, a path Mircea followed with quiet pride.

Mircea valued family life, travel, cooking, and long-standing friendships. He was gentle, thoughtful, and kind. Though intellectually formidable, he was modest and unassuming, preferring conversation and connection to recognition.

He took particular pride in Sanziana’s career and in his nephew, Marius Albota, who studied physics at Cornell University and became a scientist at MIT. Education and curiosity mattered deeply to Mircea, and he saw these values reflected in those he loved.

As a family, they moved as Sanziana’s career evolved—from New York to Connecticut, North Carolina, and finally to California. Living in San Francisco fulfilled a long-held dream of Mircea’s, one he had carried quietly since childhood.

In his later years, Mircea gradually lost his memory and beautiful baritone voice. Even so, he remained gentle and kind to the end, unchanged in the ways that mattered most.

Mircea Gatulescu is survived by his wife, Ulpia; his stepdaughter, Sanziana; his sisters, Gabriela and Anca, and their families. He was predeceased by his brother, Michael, and his sister, Gina. He leaves behind a family who loved him deeply and a legacy grounded in kindness.

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