Richard "Dick" Hesselgrave, BHS 1957

Richard "Dick" Hesselgrave, BHS 1957

From Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Vol.2, Number 10, L.A. Aero Star, October 2001

Richard "Dick" Hesselgrave, former VP Ops, dead at age 61

Richard "Dick" Hesselgrave,61, former vice president of Operations, died September 30, 2001 following a long battle with cancer. He joined Lockheed in 1957 as an electronics development apprentice. Following a two-year tour in the United States Army, Hesselgrave returned to Lockheed in 1965 and quickly rose through a number of management positions.

He joined the Skunk Works as a department manager in 1978 and was promoted to division manager in 1979, where he was in charge of all manufacturing operations on a classified program.

In 1984, he was promoted to production mamager, where he was responsible for manufacturing special projects, prototyping, aircraft modification and proposal efforts for new programs. He was appointed vice president of Operations in 1994 and retired in February 1999.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Jo); mother, Ann Dowsett; daughter, Leanne; son. Scott; and two grandchildren. A memorial service was held in Santa Clarita October 4, 2001.