Saverio Francis Morea

Born on January 23, 1932, in Queens, New York, Sonny was the son of Italian immigrants Domenico and Grace Morea. He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife of more than 70 years, Angela Morea; his brother, Russell Morea; and his sister, Gloria Leo.

Sonny and Angela were married in 1954 and soon made their home in Huntsville, Alabama, where they raised four children: Gail, Lorraine, Domenic and Patricia. Together they built their life in Alabama focused on faith, family and community.

After graduating from City College of New York in 1954 with a degree in mechanical engineering and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sonny began his engineering career with North American Aviation. When called to active duty the following year, he was assigned to the team led by Wernher von Braun in Huntsville. Following his military service, he remained with the group as an aerospace engineer and became one of the original members of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

Sonny was an important figure in America's space program and a contributor to one of the greatest engineering achievements in human history. During his 35-year NASA career, he managed development of the F-1 rocket engine that powered the Saturn V rocket, launching the Apollo missions to the Moon. He later led the successful recovery of the J-2 rocket engine program before being selected by von Braun to manage development of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, which enabled astronauts on Apollo 15, 16 and 17 to travel across the lunar surface.

For his contributions to the Apollo program, Sonny received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal on two occasions, along with numerous other honors recognizing his leadership and service. In 2016 he was inducted into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame.

Retirement in 1990 gave Sonny the opportunity to continue to share his love of space exploration as a docent at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville. He loved welcoming visitors and telling the stories of the engineers, astronauts and technology that made the Apollo program possible.

Flying was another lifelong passion. Around Huntsville, Sonny was often spotted wearing his favorite “I’d Rather Be Flying” sweatshirt. He earned his private pilot’s license at 17 and spent more than seven decades in the air, logging more than 7,000 flight hours and teaching more than 100 students to fly. His greatest joy, however, was flying his family on vacations across the country in his beloved Cessna 210.

Sonny also loved music, especially opera, and served in leadership roles with both the Huntsville Opera Theater and the Huntsville Community Concert Association. Not content simply to listen, Sonny loved to sing. Alongside Angela, he was a member of the choir at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where they were longtime parishioners.

Above all, Sonny will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, mentor, instructor and friend. He inspired others through his professional accomplishments, his kindness, his sense of humor, his optimistic outlook and his deep love for his family and friends.

He is survived by his children, Gail (Larry Leggett); Lorraine (Charlie Finnegan); Patricia (fiancee Courtney Chavez); and Domenic; his sister-in-law, Mara Fiore (Sal Rachele); his grandchildren, Marie (Taylor Bell), Peter Finnegan (Dina) and Zach Anderson (Alyssa); his great-grandchildren, Margot and George Bell, Isabel and Charlie Finnegan; and many extended family members, friends, former colleagues and students whose lives he touched.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 13, 2026 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Huntsville, Alabama. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. at the church. A luncheon will follow at noon in the parish hall. Interment will take place afterward at Valhalla Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities USA or to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Gifts to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center will continue Sonny's legacy of inspiring future generations of explorers, engineers and dreamers.

Catholic Charities USA

https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

https://rocketcenterfoundation.org/mission-support/