Edward Henry Peronnet was born August 10, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY and left this life on March 10th in Granbury, TX surrounded by people who cared deeply about him. Burial will be held at St John’s Cemetery in Queens, New York on March 22, 2019.
He was a first generation American and the youngest of 3 brothers. His family moved from Brooklyn to a farm in Pennsylvania before Edward started grade school.
They returned to Brooklyn, settling in the Flatbush neighborhood. In his teens he participated in SOAR – a cutting edge rocketry club dedicated to development of rocketry products for universities and government use. He graduated from Erasmus Hall High School.
Before college, Edward travelled overseas and purchased a half interest in a VW van upon arrival in France, sleeping in it under the Eiffel Tower. He drove the countryside collaborating with other young international travelers. His family wondered if he would return to the States. After many adventures, he sold his interest in the VW, and flew back to NYC.
He attended Brooklyn College studying geology. He also did coursework at the Academy of Aeronautics. Science, technology, sociology, world politics and history intrigued him and the interaction of these very different schools of thought constantly occupied his very active mind.
Edward was employed by NY Bell Telephone as a project supervisor and spoke in High Schools in the NYC area about the frontier of communication. He worked for Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage, NY on the Lunar Excursion Module, making lunar landings safe and return trips possible for astronauts like Armstrong and Aldrin. He ended his working days at NASA working contracts for SAIC as a reliability expert for the International Space Station, working closely with the Russian Space Program on packaging payloads for space travel.
He was a tremendous advocate of education, travel and the importance of having varied experiences to broaden the mind and develop one’s character. He continually encouraged his family to pursue the same.
Edward was preceded in death by his parents Maurice Rene Peronnet and Felicia Helen Panarace, His Brother Maurice “Sonny” Peronnet and wife Agnes.
He is survived by his brother John Peronnet and wife Penny, Nephews David Peronnet and wife Jennifer, Steven Peronnet, Caleb Peronnet, Nieces Susanne Hughes and husband Tom, Sarah Couch and husband James, Shannon Santana and husband Jon, Elizabeth Choate, and Rachel Reed and husband David as well as numerous Great Nieces and Nephews, and extended family.
He was truly one of a kind.
