Parents: Paul E. and Anna Frances Brahney.

Parents: Paul E. and Anna Frances Brahney.

Wife: Carolyn A. Peluso Brahney of McCandless, Pa.

Siblings: Kathleen Dragoman of Canfield, Nancy Varley of Poland, and Ellen McQuade of Warren.

Children: Mary Frances Roche of Phoenixville, Pa.; James “Eric” Brahney of Washington, D.C., and Scott Mitchell Brahney of Davidsville, Pa.

Grandchildren: Joy, Samuel, Connor, Emily, Caleb, Aidan, Joshua, and John.

Education: Immaculate Conception Grade School, Youngstown; Ursuline High School, 1957; Youngstown University, bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, 1962; University of Southern California, master’s degree in systems management; University of Pittsburgh, Ph.D. in higher education administration.

Military: Air Force, 1962 to 1982, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He served in Vietnam for 18 months in 1966-1967, and was a test pilot for seven years and pilot-qualified in 23 different aircraft. He was a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College and Defense Systems Management College.

Military decorations: Two Distinguished Flying Cross medals; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry; seven Air Medals for Meritorious Achievement in Flight; two Meritorious Service medals; Air Force Commendation Medal. His rescue squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

Civilian occupation: Aerospace research engineer on NASA’s Apollo Program, 1962. After retiring from the Air Force, he had a second career with The Society of Automotive Engineers, where he developed and managed aerospace technical conferences throughout the U.S., and in Europe and Asia. He was associate editor of Aerospace Engineering magazine and also published in numerous aerospace, academic, management, and engineering publications. He taught organization and management courses at the University of Maryland, YSU and the University of Pittsburgh.

Honors: Listed in several “Who’s Who” in aerospace/aviation yearbooks and “Outstanding Men of America.” He was featured in the book “History of Experimental Test Pilots,” and was inducted into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor in 2010.

Community service: Elected to the McCandless, Pa., Town Council, served on the North Hills, Pa., Youth Ministry Board of Directors and the Mahoning County Salvation Army Advisory Board. He has been a member of several aviation, business, engineering, military and education professional societies, and was a featured speaker at events at his elementary school, high school, and university; and made presentations at conferences throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan.

Source: Mary Frances Roche