Edward F. Mckenna

Edward F. McKenna of Norwood, age 88, died April 14, 2020 of COVID-19. He is survived by Margery (Hyland) McKenna, his loving wife of 61 years, their children Stephen McKenna of Naperville, IL, Carol McKenna (Matthew Belanger) of Rochester, NY, William McKenna (Diane Bernard) of Silver Spring, MD, Diane Baxter (Michael) of Chelmsford, MA, Lynn Puorro (James) of Wrentham, MA, and Janice Higgins (James) of Mansfield, MA, their grandchildren Claire and Juliette Belanger, Daniel and Kevin Baxter, Kaitlyn and Ryan Puorro, and Brian and Sean Higgins, and several nieces and nephews. He was son of the late John J. McKenna and Katherine (Moynihan) McKenna and brother of the late Margaret McKenna Sanders of Albany, NY and the late John ("Jack") McKenna of Waltham. Mr. McKenna grew up in Waltham, but lived in Norwood since 1960. He was a senior engineer and Fellow of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, MA until his retirement in 1996. He then served as a consultant to the staff of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, supporting the Navy Ballistic Missile Defense Office until his second retirement in 2010. Mr. McKenna was a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts, a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a past Chairman, Boston Section, ASME. He won many awards during his career, including being named a Fellow of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and was the recipient of the "Merito Santos-Dumont" medal presented by the Ministerio Da Aeronautica of Brazil for "significant contributions to the Brazilian Air Force aerospace program." Mr. McKenna was an elected town meeting member in Norwood for 50 years. He was also a member and past chairman of the Norwood Cable TV Advisory Committee, Airport Commission, Parking Advisory Committee, Capital Outlay Committee, and Permanent Building Construction Committee, among others. He loved his service to the Town, but what he loved most was spending time with his family. He was never so happy as he was at Christmas time and in Cape Cod every July, when the whole family was together with him. He pretended to be a curmudgeon, but generally failed miserably, especially with his grandchildren and golden retrievers, of which he was especially fond. Funeral services will be held at a later date due to the current state of emergency. In lieu of flowers, friends may make memorial contributions to Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue, 110 Chapin Rd, Hudson, MA 01749 or the Alzheimer's Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd, Waltham, MA 02452. Arrangements by the Kraw-Kornack Funeral Home Norwood, MA.