Ernest Leroy Wilson passed away peacefully Sunday March 24, 2019 leaving behind his two children, Timothy and Dawn, two stepsons, Robert and John, eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Born on July 24th, 1925, Ernest Wilson grew up on a tomato farm outside of Trenton, NJ with 5 brothers and sisters. He served as a merchant marine during World War II and then in the US Air Force. He later attended college at Rutgers University and received his Masters degree. His career as an engineer brought him to Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ. He then worked as an aerospace engineer for the Copernicus orbiting astronomy satellite. His final work years were proudly spent at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as a chief systems aerospace engineer for the Landsat 3 and Landsat 5 satellites, the later of which became the longest serving Earth observation orbiter in history.

His marriage with Kathleen Pressburger brought into his love two stepsons, Robert and John, and two children, Timothy and Dawn. He raised his children in his home in Kendall Park, NJ, as well as his residence in Greenbelt, Md.

Ernest was known for his dependability and loyalty as well as his great intellectual curiosity. He had standing weekly movie dates with his children and then his grandchildren. Throughout the week, he could reliably be seen having lunch and dinner with friends at neighborhood restaurants. He was known to constantly study articles and books on numerous scientific, mathematical, and technological topics.

He lived in Kendall Park, NJ in the home he had owned for over 50 years. His last few years were spent in this house being lovingly cared for by two of his grandchildren, Sean and Nichol-Lee Wilson.

He will be greatly missed.