GERARD EUGENE " JERRY " WEINGARTNER

Spy, Rocket Scientist, and Awesome Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather!

GERARD EUGENE WEINGARTNER (Jerry) of Spring, TX, passed away on November 13, 2021. He was born on October 25, 1936 in Carter Nine, Oklahoma, the son of Jeremiah Nicholas Weingartner and Regina Agnes Peters.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sister Ceclia Marie, S.S.N.D., brothers Robert, Albert, William and Francis Weingartner.

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 Years Jean Pettitte Weingartner; Sons: Louis Weingartner and spouse Lynn, and David Weingartner, Daughters: Debbie Eakin and spouse Paul, and Sheila Settles and spouse Dale. Also survived by his Grandchildren: Jason Weingartner and spouse Taylor, Stuart Weingartner and spouse Alvin , Bryce Eakin and spouse Haley , Haylee Settles, James Settles, Emily Castine and spouse Ben; and his Great-Grandson: Bentley Robert Castine, and his sisters: Sheila Weingartner, Jeanne Simmons, Teresa Yascek and Claire Coxe, and his brothers, Regis and Jimmy Weingartner, and Godson Father Derrick Weingartner, S.J.,.

He served in the U.S. Air Force for 4 1/2 years and received a honorable discharge for his service.  While in the Air Force he studied the Russian language and was sent to Turkey where he intercepted transmissions of Russian pilots and ground stations in the Black and Caspian Sea regions. Jerry had a top-secret crypto security clearance and served for 2 1/2 years for the USAF Security Command.

Jerry graduated from Louisiana State University in 1963, the same year he married Jean, and moved to Fort Worth with his family. He worked for General Dynamics until 1967, building test equipment for the F-111 fighter plane. He earned his master's in Electrical Engineering and was promoted to Senior Aerosystems Engineer.

He applied to NASA and moved to Clear Lake in August 1967. He retired from NASA with 25 years' service. While at NASA he was a hardware/software design engineer during the Gemini, Apollo, Apollo/Soyuz, Spacelab, Space Shuttle, and Space Station programs. Promoted to Section Chief responsible for Project Engineering and Systems Engineering for Space Simulation Systems.

After retiring from NASA, he worked for Ford Aersopace/Lockheed Martin to work on a proposal for an upgrade of the Space Shuttle Mission Control Center and a new Mission Control Center for the Space Station. After they won the contract, he was selected as the NASA JSC Mission Control Center Project Manager for Platform Services hardware and software, Command and Telemetry Systems hardware and software, the Software Development Lab, and the design, development, and installation of a backup Mission Control Center in Moscow, Russia. In 1999 he was selected as the Customer Service Director for NASA JSC Human Exploration and Development. He worked 33 years in the Aerosytems and Aerospace industries.

In 1980 he and Jean purchased 28.5 acres of land in Grapeland, TX. This became the J & J Ranch and became one of his favorite activities, especially taking the grandchildren to the country place. His other favorite pastime was dancing with the love of his life.

After retiring and moving to Spring, he provided volunteer support for Hassler Elementary School functions (industry rep on the school board, math mentor, playground builder and fundraiser), worked the state and national elections, volunteered at Texas Children's Hospital- medical center for 5 years, and was involved in many church activities assisting Father Fred Valone at St. Anne Catholic Church.

We would like to thank the doctors and nurses at MDA that took such good care of Jerry for the last 6 years, especially Dr. Craig Kovitz and his associates (with a special hug for Angela), and Traditions Hospice - especially his nurse, Kasey Castro, and his aide, Timica Broussard. I would also like to thank Paul Eakin, his son-in-law, who became his best friend and constant supporter as he fought this battle with cancer.

A private family graveside service will be held at a later date.