Melvin E. Ingles was born Sept. 17, 1927 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Charles and Eleanor Ingles and was raised in Bowmansville, New York.
Mel married Georgia E. Ingles on Aug. 28, 1948, in Lancaster, New York. They lived in Bowmansville, New York until 1951 when they moved to Lomita, California and then, in 1983, they moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Mel worked at several companies before starting his career at North American Aviation which became Rockwell International. Mel worked for Rockwell for 33 years during which he managed the building of fighter and bomber air crafts, such as the X-15. In 1965, he was assigned to the Company’s Space Division where he worked on the Apollo Space Craft program which landed the first man on the moon.
In 1972, he was assigned to the development and manufacturing of the Space Shuttle. Prior to the first launch, he was made director of the Space Readiness Team at Cape Canaveral. He retired in 1984.
Mel was a self-made man, starting at the bottom and working all the way to the top. In 1987, he was contracted to manage a segment of the B-2 Stealth Bomber at Boeing Field. He retired for a second time from that position in 1990.
His first wife, Georgia, passed away in 1990. In October of 1991, Mel married his current wife, Carleen L. Ingles.
Mel was an avid follower of the stock market. He loved his garden, antique cars and spending time with his family.
He is survived by his loving wife Carleen; daughters, Sharon Kocik and husband Robert, of Mukilteo, Carol Ingles of Bainbridge Island; sister Dolores Hannon of Gainesville, Florida; grandchildren, Cassie Keener and husband Steve; Richard C. Pasma, Jennifer Diaz and husband Adam; Kimberly Kocik; and his great-grandchildren Orrin and Karl Keener.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in Kane Cemetery on Bainbridge Island. Memorial contributions may be made to Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church or the American Heart Association. Please sign the online guest book for the Ingles’ family at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.
