James T. Greene Jr., 82, of Derry passed away July 26, 2008, after a long illness. He was a long-time resident of Derry, building a home here in the early 1960s, and living here until his death. He was the son of James T. Greene, Sr. and Marion D. (Aldrich) Greene. He was born and raised in Slatersville, RI, and attended Mt. St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket, RI. During World War II, he served with the Army Air Corps. After the war, he attended the University of Colorado, graduating with a degree in Engineering Physics. Mr. Greene was an engineer specializing in automatic control. In the early 1950s, he worked on the development of airborne and land-based radar systems. He spent one winter during that period living at the weather station on top of Mt. Washington testing radar equipment intended for the Artic-based Distant Early Warning System. In the late 1950s and 1960s, he worked on attitude-control and re-entry systems for the Mercury and Apollo spacecraft. In the 1970s and early 1980s he worked on the development of chemical process control systems used in environmental systems. In retirement he enjoyed fishing and spending time at his summer cottage near Rangeley, Maine. In the winters he kept active with woodworking projects, ballroom dancing and feeding wildlife.
Mr. Greene was pre-deceased by his sister, Priscilla Quirk, of Maine and New Mexico, and his brother Andrew Greene of Michigan. He is survived by two sons, Thomas Greene, of Alexandria, VA and Mark Greene of Manchester, NH, a daughter Diane Lachance, of Contoocook, NH, three grandchildren, and his dear friend Lorraine Cardinal. Donations in his memory can be made to the Chipmunk Benevolent Society.
Family and friends called Thursday, July 31st from 4 - 7pm in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry with a brief service that followed at 7:00pm in the funeral home. Cremation will follow.