Herman Arthur Rediess (known as “Herm” by his family and friends), of Gainesville, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home on July 2, 2022, with his family by his side. He was 86.

Herm was born on April 2, 1936, in Pinneo, Colorado, to the late Herman Henry Rediess and Ethel Velma Rediess. He was the youngest and only son of the couple’s six children. On June 7, 1958, Herm married the love of his life, Sharon Purcell, of Lancaster, California. Herm did most of his growing up in Alameda, California, building model airplanes, playing sports and fishing with his father. Herm received a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley (Cal). While attending Cal he entered an engineering co-op program at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) at the Edwards Air Force Base. During Herm’s first co-op, he stayed in the barracks on the base. One of the other residents in the barracks was Neil Armstrong who was working for NACA as test pilot. Herm and Neil played intramural basketball together. It was during his third co-op that Herm met Sharon. Sharon was driving past Herm as he walked home from church, apparently almost hitting him as they locked eyes.

Following graduation from Cal, Herm returned to Edwards to begin fulltime work as a research engineer at the newly renamed NASA Flight Research Center (FRC). Most of his early career at NASA was focused on flight mechanics and control, working on the X-15 and F-100C Variable Stability Aircraft and other research aircraft. During this time, he pursued graduate studies at the University of Southern California, receiving a Master’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering in 1964. Herm then took leave from NASA to pursue a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, moving his young family across country to Cambridge, Massachusetts. He received his doctorate in 1969, completing a thesis entitled “A New Model Performance Index for the Engineering Design of Aircraft Control Systems.” Following his return to NASA FRC in 1969, Herm rose through various leadership positions and ultimately served as Director of Research. In 1978, he took a position at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, overseeing all of NASA’s aeronautics research in avionics, controls and human factors. In 1984, Herm left NASA to head up a new division of HR Textron; this division was acquired by Sparta where Herm went on to become a Vice President. Following 12 years in private industry, he took a position at the FAA Technical Center in New Jersey as Chief Scientist for Test & Evaluation, and later lead the Aviation Research Directorate at FAA Headquarters. Herm finished his career at the Department of Homeland Security where he managed a Counter-Man Portable Air Defense Systems program among others. Herm was proud of his contributions to aviation research and his family was equally proud.

Herm was an accomplished artist, both as a pastel painter and sculptor. Some of his works have been sold while many others are on display at the homes of family and friends. Recently, he began creating custom birthday and Christmas cards for family made from artwork he painted for the occasion. Herm had a lifelong passion for golf, both playing and watching. He was most proud of his play of late where he shot his age or better dozens of times; he was particularly fond of playing at Pebble Beach. Herm traveled internationally several times during his career and loved to recount the delicious meals and wines he enjoyed wherever he went. He also looked forward to annual family vacations in Hilton Head Island and Palm Desert, California. Although Herm was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2002, he continued to live a full life—working, traveling, golfing, and painting—until a few months before his death.

Herm was predeceased by his parents, Herman Henry Rediess and Ethel Velma Rediess, and his sisters, Dorothy Andrew, Rosine Jessing, Helen Miller, and Mildred Bumgarner. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Sharon Rediess, also of Gainesville, VA, a daughter, Shari Rediess (husband, Nat Martin) of Rochester, NY, and son, Nick Rediess (wife, Mary) of Marshfield, MA, three grandchildren, Hannah Martin, Gracie Martin, and Ryan Rediess; a sister Betty R. (Jeanie) Fuller of Gilbert, AZ and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Please sign the guestbook at www.bakerpostfh.com

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