Gerald E. Lutz

Born on January 21, 1933, Jerry was raised as a Methodist in Meshoppen, PA and Johnson City, NY. He graduated from Tri-State University with a degree in aeronautical engineering where he honed his passion for aircraft design. Jerry served in Army Intelligence in West Germany during the mid-1950s. He specialized in quality assurance at Kennedy Space Center, where he worked on the Mars Viking Lander and Titan programs, and at Lockheed-Martin’s legendary “Skunk Works", where he worked on the Stealth Fighter 117A and the SR-71 Blackbird, a reconnaissance aircraft. Jerry’s affiliations include Associate Fellow of American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA), American Society for Quality (ASQ), and Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).

At a national level, his activities included the following:

Board of Examiners - Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award,

Chairman - National Security Industrial Association/Quality and Reliability Assurance,

Committee Chairman - Industry/USAF/NASA “Mission Assurance” Conferences,

U.S. Representative - NATO Quality Conference,

Select Committee - White House Conference on Productivity,

Consultant - National Association of Broadcasters,

Interactive Sessions with Japanese “Quality Circle” Winners Southern California,

Small Business Council “Risk Management” Presentations,

Judge - International Space Settlement Design Competition for High Schools,

Member - AIAA National Career Enhancement Committee

In later years, Jerry dedicated his energies toward founding and spearheading the Orlando Youth Aviation Center (OYAC). Hundreds of youth learned about aircraft design and went for their first plane ride out of Showalter Field. Jerry also mentored hundreds of young engineers with his motivational program, “Authoring Your Career Crossroads."

In 2006, Jerry’s life permanently changed when he met a Baptist Missionary who was working on the train portion of his Alaskan cruise. Their first encounter became known as “40 Minutes On A Train” and hundreds got to hear about that fairy tale courtship for years to come. They were married in the Alaska State Fair Parade where they took first prize. Jerry and Jeanne enjoyed summering in Alaska with Jeanne’s extended family and their beloved Sheltie, Angel, who was a VITAS hospice dog.

Jerry is predeceased by his wives, Jean “Jingle” Lutz and Jeanne Ewing-Lutz, as well as his stepson, Rod Ewing. He is survived by his son, Steve, daughter-in-law, Tianna, and grandson, Charlie, as well as his daughter, Tracy. He is also survived by his stepsons, Shell and Mark Ewing, and the great Alaskan Ewing clan.

Services are to be held on Saturday, June 12, at 10am at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, 100 St. Andrews Blvd., Winter Park, FL.