Dr. Harry Letaw Jr.

1926 - 2020

Dr. Harry Letaw, Jr., of Silver Spring, Maryland, passed away on May 7, 2020, after a 10-day hospital bout with the Covid-19 virus. He was born on August 7, 1926, in Miami, Florida, son of Harry Letaw, Sr., and Ninda Louise Cook. He attended public schools in Coral Gables, Florida. Shortly before entering the military service, he enrolled at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he met his future wife, Joyce Winston Brown. After 28 months of military service in the 872nd Engineer Aviation Battalion in Japan, he and Joyce were married. They both attended the University of Florida, where he was awarded in 1949 a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Master of Science in 1951, and a Ph.D. in 1952. Harry's career included a post-doctoral assistantship at the University of Illinois, research and marketing at Raytheon, Wayland, Massachusetts and management at Martin-Marietta, Baltimore. He was also President and CEO of Essex Corporation, Columbia, MD. He retired at the age of 71, spending his time writing poetry and managing his investments. In 2015 he and Joyce moved from their 55-year residence in Ben Oaks, Severna Park, MD, to Riderwood Village in Silver Spring. Memberships in organizations included the American Physical Society, the American Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Sigma XI, and Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Letaw is survived by his wife of 73 years, Joyce Winston Brown Letaw, eight children, Anne Winston Shaw, of Pleasantville, New York; Kaye Lynn Crown, of Philadelphia, PA; John Robert Letaw, of Eugene, OR; Charles Kirby Letaw, of Plymouth MA; David Harry Letaw of Attelboro, MA; Mary Jane Wolff, of Fort Collins, CO; Amelia Letaw Levin, of Baltimore, MD; and James Brown Letaw of Woodbine, MD. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Funeral services have been postponed for a later date.