Obituary of Chester Woodrow Sturgeon

Chester W. (Chet) Sturgeon (age 82) Of Reston, Virginia, died unexpectedly at Reston Hospital surrounded by his family February 28, 2016. Chet was born to the late Chester and Delphia Sturgeon January 26, 1934 in Kennett, Missouri. Chet graduated from McKinley High School in St. Louis in 1951. He completed an apprenticeship as a machinist in 1956 and then completed a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1960 from Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy. Chet married Barbara Putman in 1953, and lived in Binghamton, NY before moving to Fairfax, VA in 1974. After moves to NY in 1980, then back to Fairfax in 1985, Chet lived in Mooresville, NC in 1990, then finally settled in Reston, VA in 2004. Chet joined IBM in 1960 as a logic designer, retiring as a Director in 1991. The majority of his career was in the Federal Systems Division working on DOD and space projects. Beginning in processor and computer design, he moved into large system integration at many facilities such as Owego, NY, Gaithersburg, MD, Manassas, VA. He enjoyed working on spacecraft, military aircraft, missile and submarine programs. He was most proud of the Space Shuttle avionics system. His most visible effort was the SH-60B LAMPS Mark III Seahawks Helicopter Program for which IBM was the prime contractor responsible for the SH 60B electronics and the FFG8 test ship. On his last and largest FSD system, the AN/BSY-1 Integrated ASW combat submarine system, he was the Director of Development. In 1989, he transferred to the Commercial Services Sector Division in Charlotte, NC to apply his experience to development operations and system integration. At IBM, Chet received four outstanding contribution awards, two FSD President Awards and five Golden Circle memberships. He was invited to the first Space Shuttle launch. Chet taught the sixth-grade Sunday school class at the First Presbyterian Church in Endicott, NY for fourteen years where he was a Deacon and the church treasurer. He represented IBM on the Missouri University S&T Board of Visitors from 1983 until his retirement. He was President of the Bridgeport Homeowners Association on Lake Norman in the early 1990s and Treasurer of the Madison Park at West Market Condominium Association in Reston for 12 years. Chet was a Republican judge at his North Carolina election precinct for many years and an Assistant Chief in Virginia for many years when he returned. His hobbies included Amateur Radio and he loved genealogy, documenting the ancestors of his and Barbara's families. Chet is survived by his wife Barbara of 62 years, his three children: Debra Wood, of Cary, NC, Sandra Sturgeon of Ellicott City, MD, And Kevin Sturgeon of Vienna, VA. He is also survived by four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Online condolences may be expressed through Adams Green Funeral Home web portal at www.adamsgreen.com. The family plans to hold a private gathering at a later date. Chet will be laid to rest in the Chestnut Grove Cemetery, Herndon VA. Donations in memory of Chet may be made to the charity of one's choice.