From Antelope Valley Press · 9 Jul 2019

CRITES, Cyrus (Cy) Daniel

Age 94, passed away peacefully at home in Sparks, Nev. on March 23, 2019

Cyrus "Cy" was born on June 24th, 1924 in Okmulgee, Okla. to Viola Agnes (Uri) Crites and Clarence Dynes Crites. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Los Angeles, where John Crites, Cy's brother and lifetime best friend was born a year later. Their beloved sister, Mary was born in 1931. In 1934, the family returned to Oklahoma.

In 1943 Cy was inducted into the U. S. Navy where he was stationed in New Orleans, La., and assigned to a V-12 unit where he attended Tulane University. While there, he met his love Joycelynn Von Ehren, and they were married April 19, 1952. After receiving his B.S degree they moved to Louisville, Ky., where he obtained his M.A degree from University of Louisville.

After his graduation, the family moved to St. Louis, Mo., where he began his career In Human Factors Engineering with McDonnell–Douglas. His expertise contributed to the design of the F-4 Phantom and the F-15 Eagle. He became a well-respected pioneer in this field eventually becoming the Branch Chief of the Human Factors Division of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base. After retiring from civil service he returned to work, being recruited by Northrop Corporation where he was involved in the testing of the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

He was a devoted husband and father and was the ultimate renaissance man. His hobbies included music, history, scouting, bee keeping, fishing, photography and videography, silk screening, sailing, gardening, mead making, radio controlled boats and planes, camping, hiking, fishing, and square dancing.

This amazing man whose love, honesty, integrity, humor, generosity and graciousness was unmatched, will be deeply missed.

Cy is survived by his wife Joycelynn of 67 years, two children: Fr. Karry Crites (Dale), Katherine Lewis (Craig), two grandchildren, ten nieces and nephews, and two great-grandchildren.