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ALAN F. PETTY
Alan F. Petty, 84, of Arnold, MD, died June 23 of congestive heart failure. He was a resident of Rugby Hall for 38 years.
Dr. Petty was born in 1926 in Queens Village, Long Island, NY to Arthur and Jessie May Petty. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in the Pacific theatre during World War II. Following his honorable discharge, Dr. Petty was graduated from Lafayette College with a BS in Engineering Physics in 1950.
He began his career as a research physicist at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA where he worked on radar and airborne fire control systems. He moved to the RCA labs in Camden, NJ where he worked on programs relating to areas of military weaponry and detection and surveillance systems. In 1959, Dr. Petty moved to General Electric's Space Sciences Laboratory where he worked on the Pioneer, Mariner, Voyager, Viking and other space projects. In 1970, Dr. Petty earned a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Pennsylvania.
He moved to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. in 1971. As the founder and first branch head of the Digital Image Processing Laboratory, he worked on the development of synthetic aperture radar used on satellites. He conducted various phased-array radar systems experiments. He retired in 1989.
He was a member of the American Astronomical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He had several papers published throughout his career.
Dr. Petty enjoyed nature, fishing, reading and wood working. He loved feeding an assortment of wild animals that found their way into his backyard.
Dr. Petty is survived by one son, Mark F. Petty of Arnold, MD; two daughters, Janice L. Petty of San Jose, CA and Cynthia A. Petty of Berwyn, PA; one grandson and several nieces and nephews. His wife, Jeanne, of 53 years, predeceased him in March, 2008.
Visitation hours will be held at the Barranco & Sons Funeral Home in Severna Park, MD on Sunday, June 27 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Funeral services will be offered at St. Martins-in-the-Field on Benfield Road, Severna Park, MD on Monday, June 28 at 11:00 am. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Heart Association.
Alan F. Petty, 84, of Arnold, MD, died June 23 of congestive heart failure. He was a resident of Rugby Hall for 38 years.
Dr. Petty was born in 1926 in Queens Village, Long Island, NY to Arthur and Jessie May Petty. Upon graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in the Pacific theatre during World War II. Following his honorable discharge, Dr. Petty was graduated from Lafayette College with a BS in Engineering Physics in 1950.
He began his career as a research physicist at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA where he worked on radar and airborne fire control systems. He moved to the RCA labs in Camden, NJ where he worked on programs relating to areas of military weaponry and detection and surveillance systems. In 1959, Dr. Petty moved to General Electric's Space Sciences Laboratory where he worked on the Pioneer, Mariner, Voyager, Viking and other space projects. In 1970, Dr. Petty earned a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Pennsylvania.
He moved to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. in 1971. As the founder and first branch head of the Digital Image Processing Laboratory, he worked on the development of synthetic aperture radar used on satellites. He conducted various phased-array radar systems experiments. He retired in 1989.
He was a member of the American Astronomical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He had several papers published throughout his career.
Dr. Petty enjoyed nature, fishing, reading and wood working. He loved feeding an assortment of wild animals that found their way into his backyard.
Dr. Petty is survived by one son, Mark F. Petty of Arnold, MD; two daughters, Janice L. Petty of San Jose, CA and Cynthia A. Petty of Berwyn, PA; one grandson and several nieces and nephews. His wife, Jeanne, of 53 years, predeceased him in March, 2008.
Visitation hours will be held at the Barranco & Sons Funeral Home in Severna Park, MD on Sunday, June 27 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Funeral services will be offered at St. Martins-in-the-Field on Benfield Road, Severna Park, MD on Monday, June 28 at 11:00 am. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Heart Association.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Alan F. Petty, please visit our flower store.
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