John A. Keyes

"John A. Keyes, a pioneer in the development of communication satellites, died in his home on October 21, three weeks after celebrating his 100th birthday. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1925, John and his four siblings grew up during the depression, always grateful for strong and nurturing parents. He proudly attended Brooklyn Technical high school and, upon graduation in 1943, enlisted in the US Navy."

"After an honorable discharge from active duty as an Ensign in the Navy and at the end of WWII, he joined General Electric and was selected for their competitive Creative Engineering Program. This program had a profound impact on his future and the success of his technical and business career. In 1961 John joined Philco Ford in Philadelphia and soon after transferred to the Western Development Laboratories in Palo Alto CA."

"In 1973, his career brought him to Washington DC as Director of Commercial Development at Comsat Labs in Maryland. Here he was instrumental in the continued growth of communication by satellite. He took much pride in his part and responsibility to install a satellite antenna on the Queen Elizabeth II, enabling the first ever maritime satellite to and from ship communications for passengers. He was most fortunate to receive the first telephone call via satellite from this ship, at sea, through the domestic telephone network."

John A. Keyes was born in Brooklyn in 1925, grew up during the Depression with four siblings, and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1943, completed officer training, and earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he joined Sigma Xi and met Mary Connell. After WWII he served as an Ensign and joined General Electric's Creative Engineering Program. In 1961 he joined Philco Ford and worked at Western Development Laboratories, contributing to what became Ford Aerospace and Space Systems/Loral. In 1973 he became Director of Commercial Development at Comsat Labs and helped install a satellite antenna on the Queen Elizabeth II, enabling the first maritime satellite communications and receiving the first ship-to-shore telephone via the domestic network. He traveled globally and died at age 100 on October 21.

Read at Padailypost