Ray Tomlinson, the inventor of modern email, has died at age 74.
Raytheon Co., his employer, on Sunday confirmed his death; the details were not immediately available.
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Although Tomlinson wasn't well known in mainstream media circles when it came to talking publicly about technology, many within the tech industry continue to recognize his contributions.
As recently as 2012, Tomlinson appeared in a video (below), speaking fondly about his first computer, an Apple Macintosh.
Email existed in a limited capacity before Tomlinson in that electronic messages could be shared amid multiple people within a limited framework. But until his invention in 1971 of the first network person-to-person email there was no way to send something to a specific person at a specific address.
Tomlinson chose the "@" ("at") symbol to connect the username with the destination address and it has now become a cultural icon.
While he was a holder of numerous awards and other accolades, co-workers say he was humble and modest. And, surprisingly, not a frequent checker of email.
Additional reporting by Mashable.