Memorial for Orval Henson Minney, October 24, 1925 - March 3, 2016
ENS US NAVY
CASA GRANDE - Orval Henson Minney, 90, of Casa Grande, a retired aerospace scientist, died on March 3, 2016, at home.
Mr. Minney was born on Oct. 24, 1925, in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Denon Minney and Rosa Price.
He served four years active duty, including during World War II, and 16 years as a Naval Reserve officer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Toledo and a Master of Science in radiation physics from California Institute of Technology. He also completed graduate courses at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Claremont Graduate University, the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and RAND Corporation.
He received two honorary degrees in bioenvironmental science and biomedical science for his work for NASA, the Defense Department and several allied countries.
In the U.S. Manned Space Program, he moved from research scientist, responsible for life support, environmental control and radiation protection systems for the astronauts, to vice president of research and development and manned systems marketing director. He also was director of environmental planning and research for the state of Pennsylvania and operations analyst for the U.S. Postal Service in Pennsylvania.
He was a consultant to the National Spiritual Assembly of Baha’is of the United Stations, various companies, universities, states, government agencies and school districts.
He joined the Baha’i Faith in 1954 and was active in local spiritual assemblies and as an assistant auxiliary board member, speaker and workshop moderator.
Survivors include two daughters, Judith A. Minney of Casa Grande and Deena L. Schneider of Breinigsville, Pennsylvania; a son, Dr. Martin Orval Minney of Kankakee, Illinois; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by three sons, Denon, David and Val Minney.
The graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Desert Rose Memorial Gardens in Eloy.