William Jarvis - In Memoriam

William Eugene Jarvis
November 15, 1925 – July 16, 2025

William “Bill” Jarvis, the visionary founder of the Wiltron electronics company, Jarvis Estate winery, and the nonprofit Jarvis Conservatory for the Arts, passed away peacefully in Napa, California on July 16, 2025, at the age of 99.

William was born in Sayre Oklahoma, and started his very adventurous life by pursuing his education at the University of Oklahoma before transferring to the US Naval Academy (Annapolis), after which he served as a line officer specialized in electronics engineering on a Destroyer ship during the Korean War.

After his naval service he received his MBA from Stanford University and began his career in Silicon Valley as one of the early employees at Hewlett Packard, before co-founding a successful electronics company, Wiltron, in Palo Alto, California. During his 31 years at the helm of Wiltron, he pioneered the development of cutting-edge microwave and radio frequency analyzers that were used for telecommunication and radar applications. The company was ultimately acquired by a much larger Japanese company, Anritsu, where it exists to date.

William and his wife Leticia —originally from Puebla, Mexico— had time to visit many parts of the world, including Asia and especially Europe, where they studied French language and literature at various universities, including the Sorbonne in Paris. While traveling they became interested in wine and went on to take winemaking courses at UC Davis before settling down in Napa. What started out as a weekend estate became the site for a spectacular underground winery, which is celebrated for its world class wines. Along with Founding Winemaker, Dimitri Tchelistcheff, William dedicated the latter part of his life to the perfection of Jarvis wines.

William and Leticia also founded the Jarvis Conservatory, a non-profit organization dedicated to the classical performing arts, in a beautifully restored 19^th century stone building located in downtown Napa. The Conservatory is known for producing Spanish Zarzuela, baroque dance, puppet festivals, and high‑definition opera screenings. Its longest-running program is called "It’s a Grand Night for Singing", which features live singers the first Saturday of every month. The Conservatory was an extension of William’s lifelong appreciation for education and culture that spanned Greek philosophy, particle physics, music theory, and beyond.

William E. Jarvis is survived by his beloved wife Leticia Jarvis, their son William R. Jarvis, as well as his former wife Elsie Peyton Jarvis and their children: Eugene Jarvis, and Diane Jarvis. He was preceded in death by daughter Helen Jarvis. He is also survived by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

William’s winemaking and cultural legacy in Napa are being carried on by his son Will as President of Jarvis winery, and his wife Leticia as President of the Jarvis Conservatory.

Private services are being planned by the family. Memorial messages may be sent to Jarvis Estate and will be shared with the family. Instead of gifts or flowers, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Jarvis Conservatory for the Arts.