Stuart Henry Vogt

Stuart Henry Vogt was born in Englewood, NJ on October 28, 1920, to John Henry and Ella A. Wirtanen Vogt. A year after graduation from college, on June 5, 1943, Stu married the love of his life Marie Pia Simonelli in her hometown of Bethlehem, PA.

Stu’s career was indicative of his intellectual prowess and can be best summed up by the Hon. Barbara Comstock’s recognition of him in the US House of Representatives on June 6, 2017. Representative Comstock congratulated Stu and read into the record the following:

“Mr. Vogt lived through some of the most uncertain times in American history during which he not only endured, but flourished. And throughout his illustrious career he has always put his country and community first.

Mr. Vogt graduated from Lehigh University in 1942 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. With the war effort furiously ramping up, there was a demand for young, aspiring engineers. He was recruited by Westinghouse in Lima, Ohio, near Army Air Force headquarters at Wright Patterson AFB, to join Westinghouse's brand-new Aviation Engineering Department. While there he designed dynamos and generators for World War II P40 fighters and B17 & B24 bombers. After the war, Mr. Vogt moved to Virginia to work with Naval Air Systems Command on aircraft electric motors. However, after only a few years there he was given a unique opportunity to work on NASA's Launch Operations' Saturn rockets. During his time at NASA, he worked in conjunction with Werner Von Braun and other scientists in Huntsville and Cape Canaveral. Before retiring thirty years ago, Mr. Vogt returned to Naval Air Systems Command where he installed aircraft carrier computer upgrades to accommodate new carrier-based F14 Tomcat fighters, S-3 Viking submarine trackers and E2C Hawkeye early warning radar aircraft. In retirement Mr. Vogt shifted from serving his country to serving his community. He was the Chairman of his local chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees, and today he remains a very active member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Vienna. Mr. Vogt has a selfless desire to serve and to give back to his community, and this attitude inspires the same in all who meet him. He is a leader and I know he passes on the same selfless qualities to all he meets.”

Stu was a golf enthusiast, a former ham radio operator, an amateur genealogist and someone who loved to cook. He was very proud of his Mother’s Finnish heritage and was a member of the Finland Society. Just prior to his death Stu was working on an autobiography covering his long and interesting career.

Stu was preceded in death by his wife Marie and grandson, Andrew Vogt. He is survived by his son, Stuart G. Vogt and a granddaughter, Lynne Vogt. A memorial service at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Vienna, VA, will be announced shortly.