Dr. James Vette
March 4, 1927 — October 26, 2015
Dr. James (Jim) Ira Vette, 88, of Mount Airy, MD, passed away on October 26, 2015. Jim was born March 4, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois to Ira C. Vette and Alma Ishmael Vette Jenness. He spent most of his formative years on the Mississippi Gulf Coast raised by his great aunt. Jim graduated from Gulfport High School as valedictorian in 1944. Following high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he attended radar school. After being discharged from the Army he returned to Chicago and went to Northwestern University for two years where he played football. He transferred to Rice University where he earned a B.S. in Physics with honors in 1952. He went on to graduate school at the California Institute of Technology where he earned a PhD in Physics in 1958.
Jim’s professional focus was the space industry. He began his professional career in southern California with Aerospace Corporation, a contractor for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In 1967, he was hired by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD where he was director of the National Space Science Data Center for 22 years. In 1969 he was awarded the Exceptional Service Medal from NASA. He retired from NASA in 1989. In retirement, Jim spent much of his time gardening, investing and sailing out of Myers Creek in Warsaw, VA.
In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by Zoe Cashmore Vette, his wife of 44 years, his brother Alan R. Vette, and his great aunt, Julia Dyer. He is survived by his four children, James A. Vette and his wife Susan of Mount Airy, MD; Zoe Vette of Milton, DE; Pamela Lazas and her husband Dan of Covington, LA; and Alan Vette and his wife Anne of Hillsborough, NC. He is also survived by ten grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.
Jim’s professional focus was the space industry. He began his professional career in southern California with Aerospace Corporation, a contractor for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In 1967, he was hired by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD where he was director of the National Space Science Data Center for 22 years. In 1969 he was awarded the Exceptional Service Medal from NASA. He retired from NASA in 1989. In retirement, Jim spent much of his time gardening, investing and sailing out of Myers Creek in Warsaw, VA.
In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by Zoe Cashmore Vette, his wife of 44 years, his brother Alan R. Vette, and his great aunt, Julia Dyer. He is survived by his four children, James A. Vette and his wife Susan of Mount Airy, MD; Zoe Vette of Milton, DE; Pamela Lazas and her husband Dan of Covington, LA; and Alan Vette and his wife Anne of Hillsborough, NC. He is also survived by ten grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.
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