Henry "Pete" Linsert Jr.

Henry “Pete” Linsert died peacefully March 13, 2023. He pursued life with vision and principle, and led a life of meaningful work, curiosity, family and service. He grew up on a farm in Pepperell, MA. Son of Emma and Henry Linsert, and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Betsy), daughters Susan and Juliet, son-in-law Garth, grandchildren Theodora and Connor, and sisters Patricia Whitney and Marguerite Lentz.

After working on electronic funds transfer for the banking industry, he, Betsy, and Susan took a 4-month camping trip around the US while he pondered the next stage of his career. This led to venture capital and investment in Martek Biosciences.

Martek was the company he loved and struggled for, and which he led from a small private R & D company of 18 people to a profitable NASDAQ-listed company with more than 500 employees and a market capitalization of over $1 billion. His tenure included amassing a team of gifted employees and construction and operation of facilities for the world’s first macro-production of DHA from micro-algae. DHA is a nutritional component fundamental to brain and eye development that was not included in infant formula prior to 2001. Thanks to his advocacy, it is now the gold standard in infant formula and prenatal vitamins throughout the world. In 2006, he received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Life Sciences Award for the Washington DC area, and was a runner-up in the same category nationally.

At 67, after retiring for 45 minutes, he co-founded Columbia Biosciences, which develops and sells fluorescent proteins and antibody conjugates.

Pete began his working life at 6 years old, picking strawberries and cucumbers after school along with other kids for the local farmers. He bought his first car at 14, a pickup with no doors and the passenger held the gas tank.

With his daughters, he coached basketball and soccer, encouraged excellence, fun and travel. Dad’s career advice to them: do what you love, work hard and the money will follow.

His life was defined by great curiosity. He thrived on discussions about science, technology and history with other curious minds. He loved hiking, friendly tennis matches and relaxed with Jimmy Reed, Mose Allison, Gregorian chants and Scarlatti. At 73, he hiked 350 miles along Cornwall’s Coastal Path, joined at times by Betsy and friends.

What brought meaning to his life were “making things better,” his family, the Marine Corps and his many friends.

Pete received a BA in economics from Duke University in 1963 and an MA in economics from The George Washington University in 1970. From 1963-1968, he served in the USMC as an artillery officer, including as a forward observer in Operation Starlite in the Vietnam War.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 30 at 11:00 am at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church, 2001 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Semper Fi & America’s Fund, which provides wide-ranging assistance to wounded veterans and their families (thefund.org).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DemaineFuneralHomes.com for the Linsert family.