Edsel D. Dunford, a former TRW Inc. president and longtime South Bay resident, died Friday. He was 73.
Dunford died after a long battle with cancer, according to Northrop Grumman Corp., which purchased TRW in 2002.
The Rolling Hills resident, "played a significant role in the design and development of U.S. space systems, from early missions to the planets to complex communications, command, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems," Century City-based Northrop said in a statement Monday.
In 1961, Dunford started his aerospace career at Ford Aeronutronics.
In 1964, he joined TRW, spending most of his career at the company's Redondo Beach-based space and defense business.
In his 30 years with TRW, Dunford rose through the ranks, being appointed executive vice president and general manager of the Redondo Beach business in 1987. Four years later, he was elected president and chief operating officer at TRW's corporate headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.
Dunford retired from that position in 1994.
"He was involved in just about every one of the major space programs that TRW was involved with from the '60s forward," said Dan McClain, a Northrop vice president of communications who had served under Dunford. "To me, he personified the sense of the old-school steely-eyed missile men. He was a true Cold War warrior and one of the people who made sure our country remained secure during that scary time."
McClain also remembered Dunford as warm with "a really good sense of humor."
Dunford was honored as a member the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He also served as chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association.
In addition, the aerospace veteran served on several U.S. government advisory groups, including as chairman of the U.S. Air Force/National Research Council committee to evaluate the National Aerospace Initiative in 2004.
Dunford served in the U.S. Army before earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington and a master's degree in engineering from UCLA. He also completed the Executive Program at Stanford University.
UCLA and the University of Washington schools of engineering each honored Dunford as Alumnus of the Year. The USC's Viterbi School of Engineering selected him for the Daniel J. Epstein Engineering Management Award in 1993.
After leaving TRW, Dunford co-wrote and co-produced a documentary called "The Cold War and Beyond," which included both U.S. and Russian perspectives on that period. The film aired in 2003, and was a finalist at the Hollywood Film Festival that year.
Dunford is survived by his wife, Lorie, sons, Wyman, Stan and Philip, daughter Marlo Garrett and step-children Matt Henning & Abbey Greene.
A gathering in his honor will be held on Oct. 16, from 5-9 p.m. at Rice Mortuary, 5310 Torrance Blvd. in Torrance.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations may be made in Dunford's memory to Torrance Memorial New Hospital Tower Fund c/o Laura Schenasi, 3330 Lomita Blvd., Torrance.
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