Richard Moy Kee, 79, an electrical engineer who worked on NASA space programs, died Jan. 22 of kidney failure at Suburban
Hospital. He lived in Rockville.
Mr. Kee was born in Washington and graduated from McKinley Technical High School and from George Washington University.
He began his career as a civilian engineer with the Navy, working on instrumentation to help planes land on aircraft carriers. He
later worked with the Army Signal Corps on developing the Nimbus satellite program for meteorological research.
In the early 1960s, Mr. Kee joined NASA and worked on the Mercury, Apollo and Viking space programs. He helped build the
lunar landing research vehicle used on manned flights to the moon.
He joined the Department of Transportation in the 1970s and worked as an engineer and project manager until he retired in
1984.
For several years, Mr. Kee was president of the Moy Family Association, which benefits Chinese Americans in the Washington
area descended from the Moy family. He assisted recent immigrants in obtaining social services and in adapting to American
life.
In retirement, he worked on home improvement projects and enjoyed reading, movies and photography. He also collected
watches and fountain pens.
He was a member of the Chinese Community Church of Washington.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, May Lee Kee of Rockville; six children, Kenneth Kee of Silver Spring, Constance
McLaughlin of Boynton Beach, Fla., and Steven Kee, Thomas Kee, Nelson Kee and David Kee, all of Rockville; and seven
grandchildren.
-- Matt Schudel