Ad Astra: Donald Eri, 10 May, 2007

DONALD G. ERI MERRITT ISLAND Donald G. Eri, 79, died Thursday, May 10, 2007 at home. Born in Minot, North Dakota on May 22, 1927, he was the son of the late Peter and Ida Eri. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. He moved his family to the Space Coast in 1956 to begin his aerospace career when employed by RCA on the Missile Test Project at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. He later transferred to the RCA Communications Project and participated in the activation of what ultimately became the Kennedy Space Center. Over the years, because of the dynamics of government contracting, he was employed by General Electric, Federal Electric, Planning Research Corpor ation, and Lockheed Martin Space Operations Company. He contributed support to the following missile programs: Matador, Snark, Bomarc, Redstone, Navaho, Jupiter, Vanguard, Thor, Bull Goose, Polaris, Atlas, Titan, Mace, Pershing, Minute man, and Saturn. In addition, he contributed to the following manned spaceflight programs: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, ASTP, and the Space Shuttle. After 40 years as a Design Engineer in the aerospace industry, 30 of which were in various levels of supervision and management, he retired from Lockheed Martin in May 1996. He was hired by the Operations Department at the Canaveral Port Authority in 2003, and was presently employed at the Cruise Terminals at the Port. He was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church of Merritt Island and National Management Association, KSC. He was also a member of Space Coast Pioneers Association, American Legion, Sons of Norway, Space Walk of Fame, and the Merritt Towers Board of Directors. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Eulaine Eri, his children, Timm (Michelle) Eri, Den ise Bunch, Donald (Stephanie) Eri, Pamela Mistler, Scott Eri, and Christopher Eri. He also leaves his stepchildren, Ronald (Kellie) Daugherty, Sheri (Kelly) Fletcher, Shannon (Don) Long, and several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 4 p.m. at the Faith Lutheran Church of Merritt Island with a reception to follow. Florida Me morial Funeral Home is handling arrangements and burial will be at Florida Memorial Gar dens. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the non-profit Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice and Palliative Care, 110 Longwood Ave, Rockledge, FL 32955.