Irving Stringham Wait, 88, Seymour, died on Monday, December 18, 2017, at his home with his family by his side.

Born December 24, 1928, in Glen Cove, NY, he was the son of Harold V.A. Wait and Marion Stringham Wait. He was a 1946 graduate of Glen Cove High School and received a B.S. degree in Agricultural Science from Earlham College, Richmond, IN, in 1952.

He was a rocket engineer for 26 years and a farmer for 10 years. He began his professional rocketry career in 1955 with Thiokol Chemical Company (Minuteman) and Hercules Powder Company (Polaris) military rockets. He organized Rocket Development Corporation in Utah for developing and marketing static test equipment for the model rocketeer as an outgrow of his work.

In 1963, he relocated to Seymour, adding model rocket flight kits and accessories. In 1966, he expanded his black powder motor line into composite propellants for industrial and university applications. In 1967, an RDC rocket and empty engine casing became part of the aerospace exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as an example of employing low cost model rocket concepts in construction of vehicles for professional use. In 1984, some of the composite engines were acquired by a movie company for use in the film “Mosquito Coast” with Harrison Ford. Others were used to launch weather balloons.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Seymour, where he had served as an elder, deacon and clerk of session, a 50 year member of Jackson County Farm Bureau and of Lake Monroe Sailing Association.

Over the years, his interests included sailing, fishing, especially for bass and bluegill in his own farm pond, watching Purdue football and basketball and St. Louis Blues ice hockey, working crossword and cryptoquip puzzles, taking, developing and printing photographs and visiting with his grandchildren and his “coffee group” at Hardee’s.

On January 27, 1951, in Seymour, he married Carol A. Clause, who survives. Also surviving are four children: Eleanor Jane (Dan) Fetters, of Antioch, TN, Sarah Alice (Lee) Potter, of Monroe, GA, Kathryn Louise O’Sullivan, of Seymour, and David V.A. (Lori) Wait, of Seymour; a brother-in-law, Dr. H.A. Geidel, of Columbia, SC; a sister-in-law, Nancy Wait, of Cockeysville, MD; nine grandchildren: Nathan O’Sullivan, Jonathan (Carrie) O’Sullivan, Sarah (Mike) McCarty, Jessica (Todd) Wirick, Laura (Jim) Matthias, Anna (Jordan) Money, Kory Wait, Quinton Wait and Carter Wait; seven great-grandchildren: Bethany and Haley McCarty, Logan O’Sullivan, Noah and Luke Wirick, James Lee Matthias and Abigail Money; as well as a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son, Douglas Allen, a brother, Harold Wait, and a sister, Elizabeth Wait Giedel.

Funeral services will be at Voss & Sons Funeral Service on Saturday, December 23, at 11 am with Dr. Dan Watson of First Presbyterian Church officiating.

Family and friends may call at Voss & Sons Funeral Service on Friday from 4-8 pm and on Saturday from 10 am until time of service.
Memorials may be written to First Presbyterian Church, American Cancer Society or Fragile X Foundation, in care of Voss & Sons Funeral Service.

Online condolences may be given on the funeral home website at www.vossfuneralservice.com

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