James L. Raper, 88, of Newport News, VA, passed away peacefully on October 8, 2025.
Born on April 29, 1937, Jim married Betsy Pope Simpson in 1958. They moved to the Peninsula following his 1959 graduation from North Carolina State University with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
While at NC State, Jim served as Commander of the Arnold Air Society and was a member of Blue Key and Pi Tau Sigma. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force through the USAF ROTC. At NASA’s request, he served three years on active duty at NASA Langley shortly after NASA’s formation before returning to civilian status, at NASA Langley, at the same desk. He remained in the Air Force Standby Reserve until 1971, leaving at the rank of Captain.
Jim earned a Master of Science in Administration and Engineering Management from The George Washington University in 1970 and completed senior executive fellow programs at Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University. During his distinguished career at NASA Langley which included a two-year assignment to NASA Headquarters as Assistant Chief of the Environmental Quality Program in 1976. He led and contributed to numerous space and aeronautics projects. His early work included testing the Project Mercury emergency escape system. As Project Manager for the Viking decelerator system qualification balloon launches, he helped develop the parachute design that enabled the first soft landing on Mars in 1976; work that remains influential to interplanetary missions. Jim also managed rocket launches at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and served as deputy manager of the Space Exploration Initiative Office, coordinating Langley’s contributions to initiatives for a permanent Moon base and human expeditions to Mars.
Jim authored or co-authored more than forty NASA reports, journal articles, and technical papers. An Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and a member of the American Meteorological Society, he received numerous awards for his work, including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Headquarters Outstanding Leadership Medal for the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) mission, and several Special and Group Achievement Awards. He was always generous in crediting his talented project team members for their accomplishments.
After retiring from NASA in 2001, Jim returned as a consultant on several projects and managed budgetary, funding and financial matters for Hampton University’s AIM mission for five years prior to its launch.
Jim and his family were long-standing members of Warwick Memorial United Methodist Church in Denbigh. In retirement, he enjoyed traveling, spending time with his children and grandchildren, and reading widely from his extensive library.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Betsy; daughter LeElyn Linx (Jay) and son James L. Raper Jr. (Patrice); and three granddaughters: Emily Margaret Raper, Jaclyn Pope Raper, and Ellie Michelle Linx. He also leaves behind his brother Richard Morris Raper and many nieces and nephews. Jim was predeceased by his parents, Samuel L. and Vallie Lee Morris Raper; sister Barbara Raper Black; and nephew Scott Black.
The family wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the staff in Health and Memory Care at Lakewood Retirement Community in Richmond, VA, his hospice nurse Sarah and his primary care giver Jennifer Hauser who were all wonderful in his care.
A service will be held on Saturday November 29th at 1:00 PM at Weymouth Funeral Home located at 12746 Nettles Dr., Newport News, VA followed by a reception at The Chesapeake located at 955 Harpersville Road, Newport News.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Starport, a scholarship and support fund for employees and contractors of the NASA Johnson Space Center.
