Born (1928) & raised in Lawrence, MA. Began working at age 14.

Despite being unable to complete high school because of the need to support his family, he ended his career by working at a sophisticated computer programming and management position, making what would be a three figure salary in today's dollars. I cannot recall him ever missing a day of work in his life.

Lived in Lawrence from 1928 to the 1950's, lived in Salem NH in the early 1950's, then back to Lawrence in the late 50's, lived in Salem NH from 1969 to about 1990, lived in North Stratford, NH from about 1990 to 2004. In 2004, moved to Ohio to recover from a broken arm and be closer to family (Deborah). In North Stratford, he cut and stacked his on cordwood until he was in his seventies.

He married the girl next door, Marion Quereux, in 1948.

Worked as a senior project engineer/computer programmer for major companies, including Raytheon, GTE Sylvania, Digital Electronics Corporation.

Worked on the first mainframe, created by Raytheon - when computers used vacuum tubes, and a computer with less "brain" than a handheld calculator took an entire room to house.

He worked on NASA's first flight simulators for astronauts, and on a ballistic missile early warning system in Alaska for the Pentagon, and on programming for hydro-electric power plants in Brazil.

He was proud of his naval service in World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was a lifetime member of the V.F.W. and the American Legion.

He narrowly missed being on board his assigned ship, the U.S.S. Hobson, when it sank after being torn in twain by a collision with the U.S.S. Wasp, in the U.S. Navy's worst ever "Friendly Fire" accident. My father was on shore leave to be with his pregnant wife at the time of the incident. His highest rank was Radioman Third Class. His electrician/communications training in the Navy is what led him into the computer realm.

He was an avid hunter and sharpshooter, and collected weapons - knives, bows, riflery and even a blowgun from Brazil. He was a lifelong N.R.A. member as well.

His parents were both from France originally, of Flemish origin - from the area which has at various times been part of France, part of Belgium, and part of the kingdom of Flanders. The name Staelens means "steel gate" or "steel fence posts" in Flemish; that is to say, tough and unyielding. He knew French for comprehension, although his parents would not allow him to speak it, because they wanted him to "be American, not French." He also became fluent in Portuguese, from a brief residency there in the early 1970's for work. Through my mother's family (who babysat him for their neighbors, the Staelens') he had some small amount of Italian comprehension.

He was proud that his two children were the first in the extended families' to obtain college degrees.

He died after a painful struggle with cancer, a week after his 82nd birthday.