Charles (Chuck) Hager Eldred was born August 12, 1939 to Horace Byron Eldred & Helen Hager Eldred in Burlington, VT. Chuck passed at home, surrounded by his family, on Sunday April 26, 2026.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Vermont in 1961 and with a master’s in aerospace engineering from Cornell in 1963. At Cornell, he met Gail Scott; they married on August 17, 1963. The USAF sent him to NASA in Houston, TX in Oct. 1963 where he focused on requalification of the Apollo parachute system. After 1969 moon landings, he transferred to NASA Langley in the Space Systems Division working on technology for transportation systems including the Space Shuttle. He retired from civil service in 1998, having worked for USAF and NASA civil service for 35 years.
Chuck was equally important to his community, bringing people together through humor, kindness, and in some cases, music. He served in leadership roles for the Yorktown Rotary Club, the Seaford Yacht Club (having a passion for sailboat racing), the Bargain Box (a charitable thrift store supporting local families in need), the Marlbank Recreation Association (including 25 years of “Hootenany” musical events), and Crooks Memorial United Methodist Church.
He was a loving and supportive husband, father, and grandfather, leaving behind his wife of 62 years, Gail S. Eldred, 3 children , Dr. Lloyd B. Eldred (Patty Ellison), Dr. Michael S. Eldred (Tammy Eldred), Dr. Laura G. Eldred (Austin Fairfield), and 8 grandchildren.
