Jean Ruddle Migneault

Jean Ruddle Migneault, 90, a longtime resident of Williamsburg, Va., died Sunday, November 26, 2023. Jean was born in Hot Springs, Va., on April 25, 1933, to the late Olin H. and June S. Ruddle. She graduated from Valley High School in 1951. In 1955, she graduated from Westhampton College, University of Richmond, where she majored in mathematics.

In August 1955, she was hired as a Mathematician at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which was renamed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958. From 1955-1966, she worked at NASA-Langley in the West Area sections that programmed digital machines, first on the IBM 650 and later the IBM 704. She eventually was made supervisor of the computer room, and became a liaison between NASA-Langley and IBM. In 1959, she met Gerard Earle Migneault, when she taught him computer programming. She married Gerard Earle Migneault on September 8, 1962. (They remained married until his death in 2006.)

In the fall of 1965, she was assigned to Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. to assist with the software for the Lunar Orbiter project. She left NASA in 1966. In 1980, she rejoined NASA in the Program Research Division (PRD), where she worked as a system analyst until retiring in 1994.

She is survived by her daughter, Monique Jean Migneault of New York, NY; her son, Alain Gerard Migneault of Alexandria, Va; and her sister Mary Ann Fry of Hope, Ark as well as nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and -nephews. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 3, at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Road, Williamsburg, Va. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army, 151 Kristiansand Drive, Suite 109, Williamsburg, VA, and the local food pantry, FISH, 312 Second Street, Williamsburg, VA. Nelsen Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Condolences may be registered at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com.