Leo Egan Jr.

Leo G. Egan, Jr.
Leo G. Egan, Jr., age 88, passed away peacefully on September 28, 2010 at the Evergreen Hospice Center in Kirkland, Washington. Leo was a gentle man whose life was blessed with a wonderful wife and a loving family.
The eldest of four children born in Staten Island, New York, Leo remained a N.Y. Yankee baseball fan all his life and was in Yankee Stadium when Lou Gehrig gave his farewell speech. The day after Pearl Harbor, Leo enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp, where he received flight training and served as a Morse code operator. Leo held bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering and worked in the aerospace industry for most of his professional career. He worked on the Apollo project that put a man on the moon and later obtained his Ph.D. in Management. After retiring from his job at Vandenburg AFB, Leo founded and served as President of the Software Certification Institute. He lectured extensively on software configuration management throughout the world when he was well into his 70's.
Leo was married for 64 years to Virginia Saia, who he met at a dance while he was stationed at a U.S. Army base in Arkansas. He proposed to Virginia shortly after they met by asking her if he could "have this dance for the rest of his life." Leo and Virginia were married in 1944 and had six children: Leo, Richard, Grace, Kevin, Brian and Patricia. After their children were grown and married, Leo and Virginia kept the family bonds strong by celebrating many holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions with large family gatherings. Leo survived all of his siblings, but his nieces and nephew would often join the fun and merriment of the Egan family gatherings.
Leo and Virginia moved to Santa Maria in 1971, where they lived until 2007. Santa Maria was always home to them, even though intervening health issues took them to other locations near their children. Leo and Virginia were active, long-standing members of St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Santa Maria, and Leo was a member of the Knights of Columbus. Leo lost his beautiful wife in January, 2009.
Leo was a true gentleman whose care and concern for others shone through almost everything he did. His 6 children, 16 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren will very much miss this intelligent, wise and caring man who was their family patriarch. Leo's life and love for his wife and his family created a legacy that is a source of great pride to those he leaves behind.
A funeral mass for Leo will be held at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church on Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 1:00 p.m., located at 1190 E. Clark Avenue in Santa Maria. Reception to follow at the Josephite Seminary at 180 Patterson Road. Rosary to be held at the Josephite Seminary at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 13, 2010. Private internment is scheduled for October 15, 2010. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Josephite Seminary.