Edgar Dean "Ted" Alderson

Edgar Dean “Ted” Alderson, 94, died March 3, 2022, in Cary, NC, with his daughters by his side, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Mr. Alderson was born February 12, 1928, to William T. and Helen (Knowlton) Alderson, and grew up in Brookside, NJ. He graduated from Morristown High School, earned a full scholarship to Webb Institute of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (B.S. 1949) and commission to the US Navy Reserve, attaining the rank of LTJG. After graduation from Webb he joined the General Electric Company and worked in various divisions and programs, including Test Engineering, Aircraft Gas Turbine Division, and jet engine development. From 1955 to 1957 he served on active duty in the Naval Reserve as a project officer at the U.S. Naval Air Turbine Test Station in Trenton, NJ. After his military service, he returned to GE where he directed design and development of jet engine components, systems for VTOL and conventional aircraft, and studies of applications of gas turbines to ships. He was a systems engineer for GE's XV5A fan-in-wing VTOL development program for the U.S. Army Transportation Research Command. In 1964 he joined the GE Re-Entry and Environmental Systems Division in Philadelphia, PA, where he worked on development of planetary exploration and strategic weapon systems concepts. In 1973 he transferred to the GE Industrial Gas Turbine Division in Schenectady, NY, as manager of advanced development for projects in the High Temperature Turbine Technology Program. He authored numerous technical papers in the fields of jet engines, orbital mechanics and gas turbines, and held ten patents in the fields of gas turbines and jet engines. He retired from GE in 1988 and consulted in the field of gas turbines for several years. Mr. Alderson was a member of the Harmony Corners Volunteer Fire Department, serving as Fire Commissioner for the district for five years. He sang in the Galway United Methodist Church choir and served for 25 years on the church’s Finance Committee, eight years as treasurer. He was a member of the Academy for Learning in Retirement (later Academy for Lifelong Learning), leading more than a dozen courses on a variety of subjects, serving on the ALR Third Age Press Editorial Board for over eight years, co-authoring Ourselves: Then and Now, and contributing numerous essays, poetry and artwork to the Academy’s annual journal, The Apple Tree. A member of the Saratoga County Arts Council, he exhibited his paintings, photography and sculpture locally. He was a member of the Galway Players community theater, sang in barbershop quartets, and was an avid amateur astronomer. Mr. Alderson was predeceased by his brothers, William T. Alderson of Winston-Salem, NC, and Capt. James Alderson, USN, of Santa Barbara, CA, and is survived by a sister, Ruth Ann Meyer, of Wilton, CT. He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 52 years, Blanche Maxine (Giedlin) Alderson and is survived by two daughters, Barbara (Daniel) Lang of Cary, NC, and Nan Alderson of Philadelphia, PA, and one grandson, Jordan Lang, of Boulder, CO. A memorial service will take place on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 11:00 AM at the Galway United Methodist Church, Galway, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, the Galway United Methodist Church, or to a charity of your choice.

Edgar Dean "Ted" Alderson

February 12, 1928 - March 3, 2022