Warren J. North NASA

Encyclopedia Astronautica
North

Warren J. North
Obituary

Born April 28, 1922, loving husband, father and grandfather, closed his eyes
for the last time on April 10, 2012. Even as a child growing up on an
Illinois farm he dreamt of learning to fly. His pursuit of that dream shaped
his life and his career. He was a pilot in WW II, worked as an engineering
test pilot at Lewis Flight Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio, specializing in
turbojet noise research and missile design. After earning a bachelor of
Science degree from Purdue and two masters degrees in aeronautical
engineering from Case and Princeton, he participated in the formation of
NASA, served on the selection team for the seven original astronauts,
completed rigorous astronaut training with them, worked on Projects Mercury,
Gemini, and Apollo and rose to one of the most important positions at NASA,
Chief, Flight Crew Operations Division, Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston,
Texas. Astronaut selection, training, evaluation and designs for spacecraft
operations were all part of his job description. He ended his illustrious
career at NASA by retiring in 1985. After retiring, he built his own plane
and continued to fly until a year before his death. True to his nature, he
also took on a new challenge. His aunt, Romalda Spalding, the author of a
highly effective method of teaching reading, asked Warren to establish a
non-profit foundation to train teachers in her method. Characteristically,
Warren enrolled in her reading course and, having determined its efficacy,
undertook the task. For the next 26 years, Warren devoted all his
considerable energies to advancing literacy through The Spalding Method. All
who were privileged to know Warren remember a quiet, modest man with a dry
sense of humor and piercing blue eyes. His keen interest in people and
events revealed an unflagging intellectual curiosity. His kindness and
generosity revealed a caring heart. Warren was a member of that "greatest
generation" whose love of country, dedication to duty and adventurous spirit
won a world war, restored vanquished nations and conquered space. He is
survived by his loving wife Mary, children James, Mary, Susan, grandchildren
Joshua and Jesse Griggs, Jimmy North, and Christina Doody. A memorial
service will be held on Saturday, April 28th at Emmaus Lutheran Church, 3841
W. Sweetwater Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85029 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers,
please send donations to either Christ Lutheran Church, 3300 N Navajo Dr,
Prescott Valley, Emmaus Lutheran Church in Phoenix, or Spalding Education
International, 23335 N. 18th Drive, Suite 102, Phoenix, AZ 85027.
Condolences may be offered at www.greenacresglendalemort.com



North
Credit: NASA North, Warren J (1922-) American engineer, at NASA 1947-1985. Oversaw training of Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and shuttle astronauts.
Warren J. North earned a B.S. from the University of Illinois in 1947. From then until 1955 he was an engineer and test pilot for the Lewis Laboratory. From 1956-1959 he served as assistant chief of the aerodynamics branch at Lewis. He then transferred to NASA Headquarters, where he took part in early planning for Project Mercury, including the selection and training of the seven Mercury astronauts. He moved in 1962 to the Manned Spacecraft Center (later the Johnson Space Center), where he headed the division responsible for training the astronauts for the Gemini rendezvous and docking operations and the Apollo lunar landings. He continued to work in the fields of astronaut selection and training until he retired in 1985 as special assistant to the director of flight operations in planning space shuttle crew training.

Born: 1922.

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Associated Countries
USA USA More...
See also
Test Pilot Category of persons. More...
Bibliography
Launius, Roger D, NASA Chief Historian, NASA History Office Home Page, Web Address when accessed: here.
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