|
David E. Chadwick, a resident of Albuquerque for 51 years, passed away at his home on 22 October, 2002 at the age of 84.Mr. Chadwick was the Senior Technical Advisor for the Air Force Special Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, where he worked from 1951 until his retirement in 1974. Mr. Chadwick was the first person in New Mexico to be promoted to GS-16, a"supergrade" position in the Federal Civil Service. For his contributions to nuclear weapons testing and safety he was awarded the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. This is the highest honor the Air Force can bestow on a civilian employee. Mr. Chadwick's civic activities included serving several years as Vice President and then President of the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera Association. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and a coin and gun collector. Before coming to Albuquerque, Mr. Chadwick worked at the U.S. Naval Weapons Center at China Lake, California were he contributed to many Navy missile programs including the Wild Weasel, used successfully against tanks in Korea, and the Sidewinder. During WWII, Mr. Chadwick was a major contributor to the development of the radio proximity mortar fuse, which was credited with shortening the war in Europe. He was given a Naval Ordinance Development Award for Exceptional Service for that work in 1945. Mr. Chadwick was an outstanding athlete in both high school and college, earning letters in football, basketball and track. In 1939, as a member of the Wartburg College track team, he was the first man in the Iowa Conference to run the 100-yard dash in under 10 seconds. That same year he received a BA in Physics and was awarded the Tofte Trophy for exceptional athletic and academic achievement. He set a record, that was not broken for more than 30 years, in the 220-yard low hurdles when he was a senior at Sumner, Iowa High School. Mr. Chadwick was the son of David E. and Genevieve M. Chadwick of Sumner, Iowa who preceded him in death in 1980. His sister, Claire Doty of Cedar Rapids, Iowa died in 1986.He is survived by his wife, Barbara Katz Chadwick of Albuquerque; sons, David James Chadwick of Great Falls, Virginia and Rick Chadwick of Albuquerque; and daughters, Mimi Johnson of Huron, South Dakota and Linda Biagi of Huntington Beach, California. He also leaves stepsons, Stuart Katz of Denver, CO and William L. Hibbs of Crystal Lake Illinois; and stepdaughters, Gerry Katz of Arroyo Hondo and Janet McBride Hibbs of Crystal Lake, Illinois. He had ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends at French Mortuary, 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE, Wednesday, October 23, 2002, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 1500 Chelwood Park Blvd, NE, 11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 24, 2002. Entombment will follow at the Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul NE, Albuquerque. Should friends desire memorial contributions may be made to Presbyterian Hospice Homecare, P.O. Box 26666, Albuquerque, 87125.
|
