Obituary: Harold Gregory Sedgwick Sr.

Harold Gregory Sedgwick Sr., 92, died on Aug. 25, 2023 in Chino Valley, Arizona. He was born on Sept. 6, 1930 in Portland, Oregon to Harold Roosevelt Sedgwick and Erdice Mary Sedgwick.

Harold graduated Lincoln High School, Seattle, Washington, 1950. He earned an AS-Industrial Supervision and Management, Brevard Community College, Cocoa, FL, 1970, and both a BS-Electronic Engineering, 1992, and MA-Professional Studies, with a Graduate Certificate in Online Learning and Teaching, Thomas Edison State University, Trenton, NJ, 2007. He worked as a Senior Field Engineer at the NASA Merritt Island Tracking Station, Kennedy Space Center, FL, during the APOLLO space flights and was awarded the NASA Manned Space Flight Silver Snoopy Award by the APOLLO astronauts, 1970. He retired from the Federal Aviation Administration, 1990, with more than 34 years as an electronic technician, receiving several awards and having numerous employee suggestions accepted. After retiring from the FAA, he worked as a contractor at the FAA Technical Center, Atlantic City Airport, NJ, as a Senior Test Engineer, retiring in 1997 as a Project Test Director. During his career he taught at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Ft. Benning, GA, U.S. Army Air Defense School, Ft. Bliss, TX and the FAA Academy, Oklahoma City, OK, where he developed a significant portion of two Air Traffic Control computer/radar system maintenance courses. He formed Flotilla 2-L USCG Auxiliary, in El Paso, TX, 1974, and served as it’s first Flotilla Commander, later he served as Vice Captain, Division XVI, Oklahoma, 1976.

In 1999, he moved to Paulden, Arizona to pursue a more peaceful lifestyle with his horses, who predeceased him, and burros Suki and Murf.

He is survived by his girlfriend Eleanor E. Pritchett, his son Harold Jr. and daughter Linda Strayhorn.

Memorial Mass will be held at St. Catherine Laboure’ Roman Catholic Church, Chino Valley at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.

Instead of flowers or memorial contributions, donations can be made to: Desert Southwest Chapter Alzheimer’s Association, 1028 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006-2622.

Information provided by the family.