Kenneth Gooday Englar

Kenneth Gooday Englar, a resident of Newport Beach, CA, peacefully passed away Tuesday, 2 March, 2010. He was surrounded by his family and the music he loved so much. Ken was born 19 June, 1923, in the Bronx, NY, to Samuel and Lillian Englar. Educated in the New York public schools, he graduated with a BS in chemical engineering from Columbia University. During WWII he was drafted into the Army Engineer Corp and assigned to help purify plutonium for the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. After the war ended he moved to California to join the burgeoning aerospace industry. As an engineer he helped design airplanes, satellites, space stations, and rockets for 38 years at McDonnell Douglas. He retired as Chief Engineer for the Delta Launch Vehicle program. After retirement he served for several years on a NASA safety commission, and traveled the world as a satellite and launch vehicle consultant. Ken's vocation was engineering, but his avocations were gardening, food, and music. He was an avid member of the local orchid society; as any orchid fancier knows this means spending more money on plants and supplies than you admit to your spouse. His home-made bread won a blue ribbon at the Orange County Fair and his vegetable garden was a treat for family and friends. Ken and his wife were early members and charter supporters of the Pacific Chorale. He is survived by Jane, his beloved wife of 58 years; his four loving children, Bruce, Russell, Barbara, and Janet; eight grandchildren; a sister, Ellen; and twelve nieces and nephews. At 2 PM Sunday, 28 March, 2010, we will hold a celebration of Ken’s life at First United Methodist Church, 420 West 19th Street, Costa Mesa, CA (949) 548-7727. The URL with directions is: http://archives.umc.org/Directory/ChurchDetails.asp?FAC=75604 Donations in lieu of flowers may be made either to KUSC (www.kusc.org) or the Pacific Chorale (www.PacificChorale.org), two non-profit organizations that Ken has supported for years.