SummaryOddly enough, Grace was awarded the first ever Computer Science Man-of-the-Year Award by the Data Processing Management Association in 1969. And in 1973, she became the first woman to be named a Distinguished Fellow of the British Computer Society. Grace also received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities across the nation. But, perhaps her most distinguished honor was to be awarded the National Medal of Technology in September, 1991. The award is the nation's highest honor in engineering and technology (Norman). Other recipients of the award include Steven P. Jobs and Stephen Wozniak, the founders of Apple Computer, Inc., and William H. Gates, III, the founder of Microsoft, Inc. ("National Medal of Technology Recipients"). Yet, one of Grace Hopper’s wishes will forever remain unfulfilled. Sadly, Grace had wished to live to December 31, 1999 to witness the end of the century. Grace Hopper died in her sleep on New Year’s Day 1992. She was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors (Danis). Without Grace Hopper, the current world of computing would probably be drastically different. Grace pioneered the idea of a friendly computer programming language and without her persistence Visual Basic, Java, and C/C++ would not exist today. Also, computers may still be used by only businesses and not families. By introducing a friendlier programming language (COBOL), Grace cleared the path for other programs, including children’s games, to be invented and marketed. Therefore, when one hears the name “Grace Hopper” in the future, one should identify the name with one of the most important women and people involved in the development of the personal computer. [ Introduction | Childhood | Education | Work and Accomplishments |
