Juanita & George Lutes

1928 - 2020

Juanita Chambless Lutes & George Franklin Lutes, Jr.
1928 ~ 2020 / 1937 ~ 2020
Juanita "Nita" Chambless Lutes passed away December 11, 2020, in Holladay, Utah, at age 91. Her husband of 42 years, George Franklin Lutes, Jr., passed away five days later on December 16, at age 83. Immediate cause of death for both was COVID-19.

Nita was born at home on December 26, 1928, in Waco, TX, to a 45-year-old mother Annie Marie Turner Chambless and Tom Carter Chambless, a veteran of World War I. Her brother Beauford "Bun" Chambless and sister Frances Caroline Chambless Washington preceded her in death.

Nita survived poverty and hunger during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Her father was a carpenter who had jobs through FDR's Works Progress Administration. Her mother earned income by sewing and teaching piano. Her parents were in poor health for years. Nita lost her mother at age 11 and her father at 17.

Nita completed one year of college in business at Baylor University, then worked for over a decade for the Veterans Administration in Temple, TX. In 1962, Nita moved to southern California to work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. Over a 36-year career she rose from office assistant to a top-level executive assistant to JPL's Telecommunications Division Director. She was effectively chief of staff for this division with 500 employees and several hundred-million-dollar budget. Her former boss says she handled the position with "grace and polish" and earned the respect and love of everyone with whom she worked. Nita "wrote the book" on how to be an executive assistant.

In 1976, Nita met George Lutes -- a smart, soft-spoken JPL space engineer. They were married on June 23, 1978, in Carmel, California. Together they worked 76 years for America's Space Program. Nita and George also loved to travel, golf, and share time with friends and family.
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George Franklin Lutes, Jr. was born on April 3, 1937 in Williams, CA, and grew up in nearby Yuba City. His father George Franklin Lutes, Sr., was a plumber and mother Ardis Powers a homemaker. George is survived by his sisters Rosalie Klidies, Waco, TX, and JoLinda Martin, Yuba City, CA.

George was a straight "A" student and always had his head in a book. Always curious and inventive, he built a ferris wheel and a small helicopter in his bedroom where wires were connected from the ceiling to the window. He had a chemistry set with bulbs glowing. At age 16, George bought a Ford Model T with a crank and added an ignition key to keep the car running. George had an early interest in photography and used his family's only bathroom as a darkroom. (Years later he edited, printed, matted, and framed his film to digital landscape photos -- and exhibited them in local galleries.)

George moved to southern California after high school to pursue work in the emerging aerospace industry. He earned a two-year degree in electronic engineering from Los Angeles Trade Technical College. In 1964 he was hired by JPL at a time when engineers were highly sought after to build the U.S. Space Program. Over his 40-year career George became JPL's "resident expert" in fiber optic communication used in the international Deep Space Network. One of George's scientific inventions received a patent and international recognition with an "Innovations in the 21st Century" Award from NASA.

George was a 20-year member of the La Canada Chapter of Kiwanis. In 2010 he was awarded a Distinguished Service Award for helping run the K-Kids box car races and for creating programs and posters for all of the Club's fundraising and service projects.

George and Nita were active members of La Canada Presbyterian Church where George served as an Elder with the Congregational Care Ministry Team. He and Nita were active participants in the Church's Seafarers Group where they had many friends for nearly 50 years.

Aunt Nita and Uncle George are lovingly remembered by many nieces and nephews: Tim Chambless (Cathy), Salt Lake City; Judy (Jon) Salmon, Franklin, TN; Kay (David) Moore, Austin, TX; Cheryl Chambless, Waco, TX; Terry (Sherry) Chambless, Round Rock, TX; Bonnie Chambless Galt, Georgetown, TX; Grant Chambless, TX; and grandnieces and grandnephews involved with caring for the Lutes: Ross (Ikue and Shiona) Chambless, Salt Lake City, UT; Dominique Shaikh Chambless (Michael), Brooklyn, NY.

Nita and George will be buried alongside each other in a family plot west of Waco in Bosqueville, TX. We wish to express great appreciation to caregivers at Pacifica-Millcreek Assisted Living, Community Nursing Services, and The Ridge at Cottonwood for all they did to help Aunt Nita and Uncle George. Friends who wish to make memorial gifts may donate to La Canada Presbyterian Church, 626 Foothill Blvd, La Canada, CA 91011, or La Canada Kiwanis Foundation, PO Box 33, La Canada 91012. A memorial service will be held January 9, 2021, 1:00 p.m. Central Time in Waco, TX and live-streamed on YouTube at www.whbfamily.com.