Roll Call Tribute

Herbert Charles "Herb" Kavanaugh 

December 23, 1932 - October 27, 2024 

Herbert Charles Kavanaugh, Jr., 91, passed away on Sunday, October 27, 2024.

Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, November 7, 2024, from 6 - 8 p.m. at Mount Olivet Funeral Home in the Breyley Suite. The funeral service will be held on Friday, November 8, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. at Mount Olivet Chapel. Interment will immediately follow the funeral service in Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Herb was born on December 23, 1932, to Herbert Charles Kavanaugh, Sr. and Mildred Hall Kavanaugh in Fort Worth, Texas. During the Korean Conflict, he was stationed in Germany with the 591st Transportation Maintenance Battalion in the US Army. He returned to Texas to attend Texas A&M University where he graduated in 1959 with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and began working for General Dynamics in Fort Worth.

In July 1959, Herb married Patsy Ruth Ross whom he met on a blind date arranged by each of their best friends, Trixie and Kurt Schnellenbach. In 1962, Herb returned to Texas A&M University and received his Masters in Aerospace Engineering in 1964. He then worked for NASA/Johnson Space Center for 28 years and retired in June of 1992. During his time at NASA, Herb received a patent for Space Shuttle Design. He served as engineering specialist for preparation and review of structural analysis and was responsible for the design, analysis, and evaluation of major structural subsystems of advanced spacecraft and for the Space Station Freedom. He also was responsible for the structural strength and life integrity certification of space vehicle subsystem components and Space Shuttle payloads. In 2018, Herb moved back to his hometown, Fort Worth.

During his retirement, Herb enjoyed volunteering at the Lone Star Flight Museum. He enjoyed traveling, learning to fly airplanes, genealogy, reading, history (especially Fort Worth history), Texas A&M, Houston Astros baseball, photography, and Big Band music.

Herb was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Patsy. Herb is survived by his three children: Latitia Hedrick and husband, Wade, Vanessa Pedersen and husband, Poul, and Dachelle Purcell and her husband, Anthony. Herb is also survived by five grandsons: Thomas Hedrick, Carsten Pedersen, Garrett Purcell, Drake Pedersen and Trevor Pedersen. In addition, he is survived by eight great-grandchildren: John Michael, Daniel, Eliana, Miranda, Cade, Lucy, Mackenzie and Martin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lone Star Flight Museum: https://lonestarflight.org/support/donate/ or send checks to: Lone Star Flight Museum, Attn: Sam Waters 11551 Aerospace Ave. Houston, TX 77034 In Memory of: Herbert Kavanaugh

MOUNT OLIVET CHAPEL
Greenwood Funeral Homes - Cremation
2301 N. Sylvania Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76111