Arthur G. Stansel Jr.

Family-Placed Obituary

STANSEL, Arthur G. Jr. 82, of Timber Top Road, New Ipswich, NH, died Sunday Dec 3, 2006 at Good Shepherd Health Care Facility in Jaffrey following a period of failing health. He was born November 6, 1924 in Dayton, Ohio son of the late Arthur G. Sr. and Irene (Klopter) Stansel. He graduated from Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio where he was a member of a national champion high school band as well as an athlete on the baseball, basketball and track teams. During World War II he served with the United States Army in the European Theater. He was trained as a combat infantry man and made the D. Day landing at Normandy where he was wounded for the first of three times. He was wounded again at the Battle of the Bulge and subsequently evacuated, receiving his discharge after recovery. The three time Purple Heart recipient then attended Miami University of Ohio where he graduated in 1948 with a degree in Math and Physics. He then obtained a Masters Degree in Diesel Engineering at North Carolina State. For twelve years he worked as a civilian with the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Field where he worked on many historical programs, including certain aspects of the famous Manhattan Project. Among his assignments was a study of the effects of atomic blast on structures. In this assignment he witnessed three experimental atomic blasts at close range. He served as a project engineer in GAM 72 guided missile development. For two years he worked on activation mechanisms for the Curtis Wright Corporation in Caldwell, NJ. He subsequently worked for several engineering companies in New York City and New Jersey. A particularly interesting and adventurous program to which Arthur contributed was the study of aircraft landing systems. This task took him to Greenland and the South Pole. He came to New England in the 1960's as an employee of Raytheon Corporation in Bedford MA. His interesting and varied career in science and engineering continued and the next twelve years were spent as principal engineer of Raytheon's Apollo space program and 15 years as program manager for GTE Sylvania's Apollo software support. He retired from GTE Sylvania in Needham in 1987 and moved to New Ipswich. In recent years, Mr. Stansel gave his time generously to the Monadnock Community Hospital, where he volunteered over 2,000 hours, and to the New Ipswich Congregational Church, where he served as assistant Treasurer. He had an interest in music and sports. He was an avid reader and enjoyed hiking and birding with his wife. He is survived by his wife, Doris M. Sherburne of New Ipswich, two daughters, Kathy Mercon of Wilmington, Ohio and Victoria Whiting of Princeton, MA; a son Steven Stansel of Newburyport, MA; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two sisters Sarah Briley of Dayton, Ohio and Evelyn Heimrich of Westerville, Ohio; several nieces and nephews. A sister Dorothy Smith of Maryland predeceased him. Family and friends are warmly invited to call Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00PM at the Cournoyer Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 33 River Street, Jaffrey. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home, Thursday at 11:00AM. Rev. Dr. R. Gary Heikkila of Gardner, MA will officiate. Burial will follow in Central Cemetery, Main Street, New Ipswich. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army Northern New England Divisional Headquarters, 297 Cumberland Ave., P.O. Box 3647, Portland ME 04104. To view an online memorial, send a condolence to the family, or for more information, please visit www.cournoyerfh.com.