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Author
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Topic: Willy Ley's ashes found in New York basement
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 54470
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-21-2025 06:13 PM
   
During his life, Willy Ley predicted the dawn of the Space Age with remarkable accuracy. How did his remains end up forgotten in a co-op on the Upper West Side? Mr. Ley has no living descendants. His younger sister, his wife, his daughters and his granddaughter are all deceased, so at first it was difficult for Ms. Nadeau to confirm that the ashes were definitely his.But a deeper dive into files of the United States Columbarium, now called Fresh Pond Crematory in Middle Village, N.Y., verified that the identification number on the can, 136874, was indeed a match to Willy Ley. The paperwork lists the age of the deceased as 62, his nearest of kin as Olga Ley and his occupation as "space scientist." |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1403
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 04-21-2025 07:24 PM
This is a sad story, although I am glad his ashes were not lost.I recall that when he passed and was cremated, there was talk of sending his ashes into space or to the Moon (the lunar landings had just started). I never saw any follow-up. I still have five or six of his Signet Science Library paperback books (only 60 cents each). My favorite title still is "Missles, Moonprobes, and Megaparsecs." |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3832
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 04-22-2025 05:33 PM
Perhaps it could be arranged that his ashes are placed in orbit as a piggyback payload on a future SpaceX or Blue Origin flight. It would be fitting, and either Mr Musk or Mr Bezos could "make it so." |
mode1charlie
Member Posts: 1493
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 04-22-2025 09:40 PM
Since as the article notes Mr. Ley "has no living descendants", the legal path to doing so would seem clear, and morally I can't think of any reason why that wouldn't be a great way to honor his contributions to spaceflight.Make it so! | |
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