Stephen Wilhite, Creator of the GIF, Dead at 74

Stephen Wilhite, , Creator of the GIF, , Dead at 74.

CNET reports that Wilhite, the lead engineer on the team at CompuServe that created the GIF, died on March 14 at the age of 74.

CNET reports that Wilhite, the lead engineer on the team at CompuServe that created the GIF, died on March 14 at the age of 74.

His wife, Kathaleen, told The Verge that he died from COVID-19.

Wilhite and his colleagues debuted the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) in June of 1987.

Today, GIFs are commonplace across the internet and social media.

Today, GIFs are commonplace across the internet and social media.

Wilhite also served as chief architect at AOL and was honored with a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Wilhite also served as chief architect at AOL and was honored with a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

His wife said, "he would figure out everything privately in his head and then go to town programming it on the computer.".

An online obituary credits Wilhite as being a "very humble, kind and good man.".

While the pronunciation of the word GIF has often been debated, Wilhite provided a definitive answer to 'The New York Times' in 2013.

While the pronunciation of the word GIF has often been debated, Wilhite provided a definitive answer to 'The New York Times' in 2013.

It is a soft 'G,' pronounced 'jif.'

End of story, Stephen Wilhite, to 'The New York Times' in 2013