Harry Downs Obituary

August 11, 1927 - Dec. 28, 2008
Born August 11, 1927, Harry Bertram Downs passed away December 28, 2008. A third generation native of Colorado Springs, more recently he was a resident of Bayfield, Colorado. He is survived by his daughter, Holly Westbrook, also of Bayfield, by his grandson Daniel, and by his brother Donald Downs of Colorado Springs. He was preceded in death by his daughter Laura. The son of Dr. Bertram H. and Mrs. Florence D. Downs, Harry was born and raised in Colorado Springs and attended Cheyenne Mountain Schools. Shortly before the end of World War II, Harry enlisted in the Navy, but the war ended before he would see action. He later studied engineering and agriculture at the University of Colorado, Iowa State University and Colorado State University and went on to receive his Masters at the University of Arizona. He spent his career in aeronautical engineering, designing and evaluating navigation and inertial guidance systems. He worked for Hughes Aircraft and later for Boeing, where he was in charge of the guidance systems for a precursor to the Space Shuttle, the Dyna-Soar project that had been advanced by then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. He ultimately spent the majority of his career at White Sands Missile Range, where he both evaluated inertial guidance systems as they were introduced and consulted on systems defects for the United States Air Force. Throughout his lifetime, Harry retained a great love for the Colorado outdoors. Many a summer vacation was spent with his brother and friends on week-long journeys through the San Juan Wilderness Area. Current generations would find interesting an approach to these trips that relied to virtually no extent on modern materials or technology. Harry will be most remembered for his kindness. There was never a stranded motorist he would not stop to help, never a friend whose day he could not brighten. Memorial services for Harry Downs will be private.