On Nov. 28, 2013, David L. Pentz died in his home in Freeland, Wash.

A dreamer, builder and unconventional thinker, David lived and worked with fiery intelligence, creative gusto and a gentleness of spirit that endeared him to all who knew him.

David was born in London, England, in 1939 to Lorna and Peter Pentz (deceased). He began a career spanning 47 years as Rio Tinto Mining Company’s first geotechnical engineer in 1966, going on to work for Golder Associates in 1970, eventually leading the company as its president and chairman until he resigned in 1997.

He initially specialized in long-term slope design studies for copper, iron and uranium mines around the world, but later retrained his focus on the management of nuclear waste and fuel cycle economics.

In 1998, he established Pangea Resources of Australia, an international commercial company dedicated to the disposal of spent-fuel and appropriately conditioned excess weapon-grade materials.

As an outgrowth of Pangea, he created the NEXUS project, which produced viable commercial incentives for nuclear non-proliferation. David was also an expert in the use of uncertainty for decision analysis and spent his final years working as a founding partner of Predicus LLC, a consulting company that continues to provide strategic risk analysis for complex projects in an uncertain framework.

David Pentz is remembered as a pragmatic idealist, creative visionary and a loving husband, father and friend who saw the good in all people and the potential in all things.

Throughout his life he enjoyed sailing and woodworking, and took great pride in the home he shared with his wife on Whidbey Island.

He is survived by his sister, Jen; his wife, Heather; his children, Katrina, Natasha, Peter and Hilary; his grandchildren, Evan and Lorna and his dog, Charlie.

A private memorial service will be held in his honor in January 2014.