William Eugene Austin, 88, of Wayne, physicist

William Eugene Austin, 88, of Wayne, a physicist who contributed to numerous U.S. space and defense missions, died at his home Friday, Oct. 3, of complications from a stroke he had suffered seven years earlier.

Mr. Austin was a physicist with the General Electric Co., based at the company's Space Center in King of Prussia. He was active in the 1960s and 1970s, but retired in 1980 because of the onset of retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited, degenerative eye disease.

He worked on many NASA and Defense Department projects for GE, including the Apollo Lunar Program, several satellite and rocket programs, and the early development of the space shuttle.

While at GE in 1972, Mr. Austin patented a gamma ray spectrometer intended for measuring the gamma rays generated by a nuclear rocket engine during flight. The rocket engine was never made, but the device Mr. Austin invented helped expand its field of science. He earned a commendation from GE for the achievement.

Before joining GE, he worked for Westinghouse and Lockheed, also on space, defense, and nuclear projects.

Born in Pershing, Okla., Mr. Austin grew up in Oklahoma, and later in Lake Charles, La. He served in the Navy in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. After the war, Mr. Austin earned a degree in physics from Louisiana State University, and worked for the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory in White Oak, Md.

Son James T. Austin said that his father was brilliant, but that what he remembered most was not his intellect: "He loved my mom so much," James Austin said.

"He was a great dad and did all the regular things like take us to baseball games. But he did even cooler things, like take you to the Space Center at King of Prussia and show you the material for the heat shield on the lunar capsule. For a kid, it just blew my mind," his son said.

Besides his son, he is survived by his wife of 63 years, Isabel Devine Austin; daughters Elizabeth Disciascio and Catherine Paski; another son, William G.; seven grandchildren; a brother; and two sisters. Another sister died earlier.

A viewing at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Alleva Funeral Home, 1724 E. Lancaster Ave., Paoli, will be followed by an 11 a.m. funeral service at the Alleva home. Burial is in St. Agnes Cemetery, West Chester.

Donations may be made to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 17279, Baltimore, Md. 21298, or via www.blindness.org.