Arthur E. Schlaifer

1923 - 2009

Arthur E. Schlaifer, 86, died Dec. 21, 2009 in Barstow, Calif.

He was born on April 30, 1923 in Omaha, Neb., the first son of Gertrude K. and I. Samuel Schlaifer. Art came to Los Angeles in 1927. He attended Fairfax High School, and graduated from University of California at Berkeley as a civil engineer. He served in the U.S. Army, 13th Armored Division in WWII in Europe.

Art worked for the California State Highways on the design and right of way for the first four level freeway interchange in downtown Los Angeles, and was employed by North American on the design of the Apollo spaceship, Aerojet General and McDonnell Douglas. He was further certified in structural, geological and nuclear engineering, and worked on the construction of the San Onofre Nuclear Plant for Southern California Edison, South Texas Nuclear (Brown & Root), Consumer Power (Midland, MI), and Comanche Peak (Dallas Power) Nuclear projects, Texas. He then was Project Engineer of Public Works for the U.S. Navy at Point Mugu for 13 years.

He retired at the age of 79, moving to the Veteran's Home of California - Barstow, where he founded Congregation Etz Ba'Midbar.

Art was married to Betty Friedman, deceased, and also predeceased by his brother Phillip Schlaifer and sister Edna Bergson.

He is survived by his children, Marissa Schlaifer of Arlington, Va., and B. Stuart Schlaifer of Auburn, Ind., and his brother Jack Schlaifer of Thousand Oaks.

Burial will be at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd. in Riverside, at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28. Please make donations in Art's memory to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements are by Mead Mortuary, 760-256-5671. www.meadmortuary.com.