James "Jim" N. Canfield III

James “Jim” N. Canfield III, of Coatesville, passed away the night of Saturday, September 28th, 2019. He was the loving husband to Julia R. Canfield (nee McClellan) and the son of the late James N. Canfield II and Marjorie Alice Slutter.

Jim devoted his entire professional career to the aerospace business. Immediately following graduation from Drexel University (then known as Drexel Institute of Technology) in 1953, he went to work for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in the Aviation Gas Turbine Division. His initial assignments involved afterburner design and he soon realized that his primary interests where directed toward engine test and evaluation. As a flight test engineer, he was instrumental in the development of the J-34 and J-40 engines and spent considerable time and effort in the optimization of the of the J-34 model for use in the North American T2-J high performance trainer currently used by the US Air Force.

By 1960, The Country was fully immersed in missile defense and satellite programs and Jim wanted to become involved. In the fall of that year, he joined what was to become the Missile and Space Division of the General Electric Corporation.
He began his career with GE as a unit manager of a systems test organization and eventually became the section manager of Quality Control & Test-an entity involving 500 employees in Philadelphia and Valley Forge and with field units at both Vandenburg AF Base and Cape Kennedy.

His career involved the development and eventual launch of Biosatellite, Nimbus, Pioneer and Galileo Probe satellites for NASA as well as the development and production of several missile programs including Minuteman III for the Air Force.
Jim was a senior member of the AIAA and was recognized in WHO'S WHO in the east and WHO'S WHO in AVIATION & AEROSPACE.

In addition to his wife, Julia, Jim is survived by his children; Eric L. Canfield (Heidi), James R. Canfield (Tracey), David R. Canfield (Maria); Beth McFalls (Jack); 13 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

   A funeral service will be held Saturday, October 5, 2019, 11:00 AM at Calvary Chapel Chester Springs 217 Dowlin Forge Rd, Exton, PA 19341. Friends are welcome to pay their respects prior from 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM

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