LEON O. DUFRESNE,
JR.
 COCOA -- Leon O.Dufresne, Jr., 66, of Cocoa, died
Thursday,December21, 2000, at his home after a valiant battle with
coloncancer. Leon was born inNational City, California. He was a jet
enginemechanic in the United States Marine Corps, worked forConvair in San
Diego, thenbecame a Field Engineer for the Chrysler Corporationin Italy,
then at the ChryslerDivision at Cape Canaveral on the Saturn I and IB
Ordinance. Leon continued his 36 yearcareer at his beloved Space Center as
an Engineer for the Boeing Company, received the prestigious NASA Manned
Space Flight Award for his many contributions, and retired in 1998 from
United SpaceAlliance as Lead OrbiterPyrotechnic Engineer. Leon was one of
the original ''KSC Barracuda Dive Club'' members back in the 1960's. He
was a scuba divinginstructor and loved to give people the skill to
appreciate the ocean as he did. Leon is survived by his wife Jeri, and his
children, son, Richard, and five daughters, Carol and son-in-law, John,
Anna, Helena, Stacie and sonin-law Craig, and Holly. Leon has ten
wonderful grandchildren, Rob, Melissa, Amanda, Annie, Tony, Zachary,
Amber, Janell, Lacey, and Brianna. Leon is the oldest brotherof eight
surviving children;Michael, Robert, John,Stephen, Paul, Suzanne,Josephine,
and Sherril. A memorial service will be held at Veterans Memorial Park on
Broad Street inTitusville on Saturday,December 30, at 12:00 noon. A
reception of friends andfamily at the Dufresne home to celebrate his life,
will follow the service. Leon will be ''Taken back to the sea'', and ashes
returned to his favorite reefs at a later date. Arrangements by Funeral
Solutions in Cocoa. |
