Chester Elbert Ady

Immediately following the Committal Service at 1:00 pm on May 07, 2024. Come celebrate Chet’s life among family and friends at: Glenkirk Church (Meet at the Gathering Place), 1700 Palopinto Ave, Glendora, CA 91741

A visitation for Chester will be held Monday, May 6, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Oakdale Mortuary, 1401 South Grand Ave, Glendora, CA 91740. A funeral service will occur Tuesday, May 7, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 1401 South Grand Ave, Glendora, CA 91740. A committal service will occur Tuesday, May 7, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM, 1401 South Grand Ave, Glendora, CA 91740.

Chet was born February 16, 1924, in Moline, Illinois, to Alvin and Fern Ady. Soon afterward the family moved to Indianola, Iowa, where they lived for a few years. He considered Mason City his hometown, having gone from kindergarten through high school there. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1942, and entered the Air Force January 1943. There he completed navigation training at Hondo AFB, Texas and received his commission into WWII December 1944. He was assigned to the Pacific Theater in the war as a Radar Officer on a B-29 crew based on Tinian. He returned to the United States and was separated from the service June 1946.

He then attended Iowa State College at Ames, Iowa and in June 1949 received a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering. While in college, he married Laura Mae Steddom on August 17, 1947, with whom he was married for 53 years. Soon after graduation they relocated to California. He worked in the Industrial Engineering Dept. at the Mission Appliance Corp. in Hawthorne, California. On April 21, 1951, he was recalled by the USAF for the Korean War and was released September 20, 1952 at Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana.

The family promptly returned to Compton, California, and he resumed his work at Mission Appliance. In May 1954 he started as a project engineer in the Plastics Dept. of Hughes Aircraft Co.. For the next 32 years he was employed by several companies and worked on many interesting programs all involving the use of reinforced plastic materials. The companies were 1956-1959 Curtiss-Wright, Clearfield, Pa. and Detroit, Mi., 1959-1970 Aerojet General, Azusa, Calif., and 1971-1986 Reinhold Industries, Santa Fe Springs, Calif.. May 1959, Glendora became home and the family joined the Glendora United Methodist Church where he has been a long-time member. He was recognized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for his service to the nation as a member on the team of Apollo II's successful landing on the moon July 20, 1969. Chet officially retired from corporate life in February 1986.

Post retirement, Chet enjoyed sailing, antiquing, and cross-country road-trip traveling. Chet, together with his first wife Laura, both attended antique conventions, high school reunions and visited many life-long friends. After Laura's passing on September 4, 2000, Chet became close with Joanne Clapper a long-time family friend from Iowa. On July 13, 2002, Chet and Joanne married and spent a number of years traveling the world together until Joanne's passing in March 2022.

He is survived by son William Ady; daughter Ann Grave; five grandchildren Kevin, Bryce, Richard, Amy and Emily; six great-grandchildren Jonas, Karah, Lucas, Laura, Dashiell and Brody; nieces Barbara and Linda; nephew Henry; and second wife Joanne Clapper's family members Amy, Jay and Kay.