Henry "Hank" C. Wieseneck

Henry "Hank" Claude Wieseneck

September 10, 1934 – January 2, 2025

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Henry "Hank" Claude Wieseneck on January 2, 2025.  Born on September 10, 1934, in Darmstadt, Germany.  Hank’s life was a story of perseverance, love, technical leadership, and humor.

Hank's early years were marked by his family's wise decision to leave Germany and immigrate to the United States in the summer of 1936. With the sponsorship of extended family members, Lou and Gus Frankel, Hank and his family found refuge in America, arriving in Chicago, where they began rebuilding their lives.

After graduating from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1957, Hank’s course in life changed dramatically a second time.  He married the love of his life, Despina “Deppie” Costas, the day after graduation. Together the newlyweds left their extended families in Chicago and drove Route 66 to Los Angeles.  There Hank started working at North American Aviation.  While the couple missed their families in Chicago dearly, they visited and called them often.  Still, they lived happily in the San Fernando Valley their entire life together, raising two children: James “Jim” Wieseneck and Myra Deily (Wieseneck).  Hank took great pride in his family and delighted in spending time with his children, their spouses: Jennifer Wieseneck (Jerome) and David “Dave” Deily, and their seven grandchildren: Amy Wieseneck, Nicholas “Nick” Deily, Stacey Wieseneck, Thomas “Tom” Deily, Kelley Gremillion (Wieseneck), Annabelle Deily, and Daniel Wieseneck. 

But it was Hank’s career that benefited the most from the move to California.  Hank started his career in rocket propulsion advancing to be the Director of Research and Engineering at Rocketdyne, handling the development and design of the Space Shuttle Main Engine in the early 1970’s. From there he became the Head of Engineering at Atomics International.  After that it was not always clear what he was working on since some of the efforts were classified, but he did manage the Santa Susana Field Laboratory for several years including the Department of Energy’s Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC).  Ultimately, he retired as a VP of Rockwell International in 1994. 

Hank was known for his sense of humor, and he always had a joke ready to bring laughter to any room. He also had a passion for playing cards, golfing, and for horses, especially harness horses, finding joy in owning and racing them.  In his younger years, Hank also enjoyed jogging, and backpacking or hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, including conquering Mount Whitney.

He was proceeded in death by his father Morris Wieseneck, mother Frances Wieseneck (Metzger) and brother Robert Wieseneck, all from the Chicago area.   

Hank was laid to rest on January 10, 2025, at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Simi Valley, California.