Leo Paul Daspit Jr.

Leo Paul Daspit, Jr. died on May 20, 2017. Leo was born on January 18, 1932 in Port Arthur, Texas to Leo and Nina Daspit. He grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana and was known as “Buddy” to family and high school friends. He played football and baseball at Lake Charles High School where he met the love of his life, Anne Nash.

Leo attended Louisiana State University where he played football before joining the Air Force during the Korean War. After the war, he attended McNeese State College earning a Bachelor’s degree in physics. After graduation, Leo worked for General Dynamic in California. He moved to Newport News, Virginia in 1962. After a long career at NASA, where he worked on several Mars missions among other projects, he retired and went to work for Bionetics Corporation. Leo loved to go hunting, fishing and enjoyed playing golf.

Leo is survived by his daughter, Linda Daspit Ingleson and son-in-law, Raymond Ingleson of Williamsburg; son, John Daspit and daughter-in-law, Margaret Daspit of Hampton; son, Paul Stephen Daspit and daughter-in-law, Kelley Daspit of Zanesville, Ohio; and his grandchildren, Taylor Leigh Huffman, Stephen Christopher Daspit, John Tyler Daspit, and Jordan Alexis Daspit.

The family will receive visitors Wednesday, May 24th from 4 -7pm at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Road, Williamsburg. A funeral mass will be held on May 25th at 11am at St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice. Online condolences for the family may be expressed at www.nelsencares.com.