Obituary

John Michael ‘Mike’ Harrison was born April 16, 1920 in Yorkshire, England to Elsie and Michael Harrison. He passed away February 3, 2011 in Laguna Hills, CA.

Mike was predeceased by Tess, his wife of 55 years and sisters Mary and Lucy. He is survived by his daughter Susan McNear and her husband Kit of Dana Point, CA plus numerous nieces and nephews in England.

Mike joined the RAF as a cadet in 1936 and served as an officer in West Africa and India during WWII before joining Westland Helicopters in Yeovil, England where he was the Chief Aerodynamicist. In 1967 Mike became part of the British ‘brain drain’ and moved his family to California to work for Lockheed on the Cheyenne project. He also worked for North American Rockwell on the space shuttle before joining Hughes Helicopters in Culver City and later relocating with them to Mesa, AZ in 1985 where they merged with McDonnell Douglas and subsequently Boeing. Prior to retirement he was most proud of his work on the Apache helicopter.

In 2010 Mike moved back to California to be closer to Sue and Kit. He was unique man who was feisty to the end, and will be missed by all who knew him.