Raymond Gerald Zedekar

Raymond Gerald Zedekar Sr, 87 of Charlottesville, VA went to be with The Lord Thursday October 8 at home with his family around him. Raymond was born September 7, 1933 in South Haven, Michigan to the late Marion Raymond Zedekar and the late Rene’ Saaf Zedekar. Raymond graduated from The University of Virginia in Aerospace Engineering. He married his sweetheart Shelby Ann Woodson of Charlottesville. He served three years in the US Air Force as a fighter jet pilot. After his military service he worked at Langley and moved to Houston, Texas with NASA. He arrived 2 weeks before the original 7 astronauts arrived to begin their training. He was responsible for extravehicular activity and lunar surface exploration for Apollo. Afterwards he was director of shuttle payload integration. After retiring he and Shelby divided their time between Houston and Charlottesville. Ray was a family man and took great pride in his daughter and son and their families. He was married to Shelby for 64 years. He is survived by his daughter Joan Rene Cates and her husband Mike Cates of Faber, and son Raymond Gerald Zedekar Jr and his wife Joann Zedekar of Ruckersville and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was a wonderful man, husband, dad and grandfather He loved the Lord.