Obituary of Oguz Tanrikulu

Oguz Tanrikulu (54), beloved husband and father, passed away on February 11, 2024, unexpectedly and thankfully without pain.

Oguz, known as Oz to his friends, was born to Harit and Nurten Tanrikulu in Ankara, Turkey on November 26, 1969. As a child, he enjoyed building and launching rockets with his elder brother Ömer. His love for engineering continued with him attending Middle East Technical University, earning a bachelors in engineering in 1990. During his PhD in signal processing from Imperial College in London, he met the love of his life, Nevin Berkmen. A week after receiving their British citizenship in 1997, Oguz and Nevin moved to Boston to start his career in digital signal processing. In 1999, Oguz and Nevin welcomed the birth of their twins, Alp and Lara. In 2005, he remade himself again by moving to Connecticut and starting as a Quant in the Hedge Fund industry and working his way up to Director of Research.

While Oguz left us too soon, the impact he had on his family and friends will continue. He will be remembered for his keen intellect, quirky sense of humor, generosity, and devotion to his family. He was loved by his children and was a caring husband for 30 years. He excelled at teaching himself any new subject he found passion for, ranging from finance to his to chemistry to woodworking. Appreciating any view of a sea, river, or lake, he loved fishing and boating on the Aegean coast of Turkey. He had a special fondness for antique tools, and taught himself to construct gallery-worthy frames and tables. He enjoyed travelling, with some of his favorite destinations being in Europe and the Caribbean. He made a fantastic smoked duck and mouth-watering ribs. He simply excelled at everything he had a passion for.

Oguz is survived by his wife Nevin; son Alp; brother, Ömer; brother- and sister-in-law, Mehmet and Melanie; and many beloved friends and family members. He was predeceased by his parents, Harit and Nurten; and his cherished daughter, Lara.

Oguz's family will host a Memorial Service on Saturday, February 17th, 2024, from 11:30 am-1 pm, at the Lesko Funeral Home at 1209 Post Road, Fairfield Center. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Oguz's name to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.givenow.lls.org).