Dolby died of leukemia on September 12, 2013, at his home in San Francisco at the age of 80. Dolby was survived by his wife Dagmar, two sons, Tom and David, and four grandchildren. Kevin Yeaman, President and chief executive of Dolby Laboratories, said "Today we lost a friend, mentor and true visionary." Neil Portnow, President of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, said Dolby had "changed the way we Listen to music and movies for nearly 50 years" and that Dolby's "technologies have become an essential part of the creative process for recording artists and filmmakers, ensuring his remarkable legacy for generations to come."