Risler, who served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Europe during World War II, was a graduate of Emory University who received his Master of Science degree from the University of Florida. He worked on aerospace projects for the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as well as NASA, from the time of its inception.
A NASA systems engineer who helped develop the stabilization and control systems of the Mercury spacecraft, Risler later aided in selecting a primary contractor to design, fabricate and test-qualify the Apollo spacecraft. Named a section chief, he prepared facility requirements for the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center and helped plan the command module used in the Apollo program.
As head engineer at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., his team tested parachutes and the pad abort escape rocket for the Apollo command module. Assigned to the overlapping program, Gemini, he spent a year in St. Louis as NASA Deputy Division Chief for all electrical systems and accepted the first Gemini spacecraft at the McDonnell-Douglas plant.
After his return to KSC, Risler was among investigators of the causes of the Apollo I fire, which killed three astronauts, and later became technical assistant to the NASA’s Florida director of operations. In that capacity, he rewrote flight mission rules that pertained to lightning at launch time.
Risler, who also taught physics at Florida Institute of Technology, also worked on the Skylab and the Space Shuttle programs before retiring in 1985. The son of the late Howard and Ethel Risler, the native of St. Clair, Mo. was predeceased in 2016 by his devoted wife, Helen.
Welby lived life to the fullest and his hobbies varied, but most of all he enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren, and beloved family dog Ginger. He is survived by his children: Margie Risler Dowling (Pete) of Cocoa; Max Risler (Shirley) of Tampa; Lucy Mieres of Tampa; and Ed Risler (Susan) of Athens, Ga.; and grandchildren Jonathan Dowling, Sarah Skorjanc, Erin Spencer, Megan Grimsland, Patrick Fitzhugh, Nathan Risler, Patrick Risler, Alicia Mieres, Cynthia Price and Maria Risler; as well as several great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life will take place beginning at 1 p.m., with services at 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, in the Life Center at Florida Memorial & Florida Memorial Gardens, 5950 South U.S. Hwy 1, Rockledge.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18