Skip to main content
Community

Henry Delgado, 90, NASA JPL propulsion engineer and Big Bear Lake resident, dies

A Detroit-born Air Force veteran whose aerospace career spanned landmark space missions, Delgado will be celebrated at a Celebration of Life in Big Bear Lake on September 22.

By Big Bear News1 min read1 source

Henry Delgado, 90, NASA JPL propulsion engineer and Big Bear Lake resident, dies
Photo: Brave News Search (Big Bear discovery)

Henry Delgado, a 90-year-old Big Bear Lake resident whose engineering career helped propel some of the most celebrated missions in the history of space exploration, has died. Born May 22, 1936, in Detroit, Michigan, to Pedro and Jennie Delgado, he lived, according to his obituary, "a remarkable 90 years defined by a series of tremendous accomplishments, commitment to country, family, and reverent faith towards God."

Delgado's path to the stars began with military service. After completing his education at the Detroit Engineering Institute, he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1957, receiving an Honorable Discharge before transitioning to the USAF Reserves, where he earned the National Defense Service Medal.

His professional career took him through some of the most prominent names in American aerospace — McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., Federal Electric Co., and Chrysler Missile Co. — before he retired from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. At JPL, Delgado managed a team of propulsion technicians and earned recognition for his chemical propulsion expertise on the Viking, Voyager, Galileo, and Cassini missions — spacecraft that collectively redefined humanity's understanding of our solar system.

Away from work, his family describes a man of warmth and purpose: fishing at Big Bear Lake, golfing across the country with his wife, Julie, cooking legendary BBQ ribs and chili from memory, and waging an ongoing battle against the gophers in his lawn.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Julie, daughter Gina, son Michael, grandchildren Michael II, Alexander, and Analiese, and great-grandchildren Lucas and Jireh.

A Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, September 22, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Big Bear Lake Elks Lodge #1787, 40611 Village Dr., Big Bear Lake. The service will also be streamed on Facebook Live. The family asks that guests wear festive colors rather than traditional black.

Sources (1)

  1. 1.
    Legacy.com obituary via Big Bear Mortuary & Cemetery
    Born on May 22, 1936, in Detroit, Michigan, to parents Pedro and Jennie Delgado. Henry lived a remarkable 90 years defined by a series of tremendous accomplishments, commitment to country, family, and reverent faith towards God.
    Open original (opens in a new tab)

Report a problem

See a factual error? Tell us — we review every report before changing the story.

About: Henry Delgado, 90, NASA JPL propulsion engineer and Big Bear Lake resident, dies

Tomorrow in Big Bear

  • Next meeting: City Council Special Meeting · 4:00 a.m. · Agenda (opens in a new tab)
  • Next event: Youth Group
  • Sunrise: 6:24 a.m.
  • Next edition 7 AM