Stephen Eidson Kissling

Stephen Eidson Kissling

April 2, 1957 - April 26, 2025

Blessed be God!

Stephen Eidson Kissling used his last energy and breath to be present for his wife's natal birthday, on the morning of which he was born into eternal life. At his passing, his wife Elizabeth and his beloved dog Bear were at his side.

Steve also leaves behind his sisters Grace (Sarah) and Cathy (Duane), his daughter Julia, and countless loving family members, friends, and colleagues.

Steve had a long and fruitful career as an aerospace mechanical engineer in the design and development of high performance aircraft and spacecraft mechanical systems. He loved airplanes, aviation history, and taking apart and reassembling anything that even remotely presented the opportunity for that process. He built a working dynamometer from an old lawn mower engine when he was 12 years old.

Steve earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He was a co-op student and learned the practical applications of his coursework at the Anniston Army Depot, in the Production Engineering department, overhauling tanks.

During his college term he restored a basket-case British motorcycle and rode it for many years after graduating. After graduating from Tech he went into the aerospace industry at General Dynamics (Fort Worth), Martin Marietta (Denver and New Orleans) and Lockheed (Georgia, and Palmdale, California).

Steve was a member of the X-35 design team, which won the Collier Trophy and the F-35 design and production contract for Lockheed Martin. He helped engineer the F-35 landing gear, specializing in the wheel, brake, and brake control subsystem, during which time he and colleagues obtained a patent for a new method of simulating rotation of a wheel. He participated in flight-testing the airplane, logging several hundred hours as a control room engineer overseeing the Power and Thermal Management System. During this time, in what spare time he had, he earned an FAA Aircraft and Powerplant mechanic certificate.

When Steve retired for the first time he used that opportunity to teach CNC programming to college-age students, but he missed the daily challenge of the aerospace engineering life and went back to work again for Lockheed Martin - this time on the X-59 Quesst program - until a few months before his death.

Steve will be laid to rest on May 22, 2025 after a funeral Mass (11:00am) at St. Andrew's Abbey in Valyermo, California. Donations to St. Andrew's Abbey may be made in his honor and will be gratefully accepted. No flowers, please.