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Richard DeFrancesco, expert in technology

Richard E. DeFrancesco, 68, of Chester Springs, who grew from building a radio as a boy to supporting defense, space, and medical projects with his technological knowledge, died Sunday, Feb. 3, of a heart attack at Paoli Hospital.

Richard DeFrancesco
Richard DeFrancescoRead more

Richard E. DeFrancesco, 68, of Chester Springs, who grew from building a radio as a boy to supporting defense, space, and medical projects with his technological knowledge, died Sunday, Feb. 3, of a heart attack at Paoli Hospital.

From the start, Mr. DeFrancesco, a Philadelphia native, was curious about how things worked, so he constructed a radio from Radio Shack parts. He was instantly hooked on such pursuits, and the foundation for his engineering career was laid, his family said.

After graduating in 1966 from the former Drexel Institute of Technology with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering, Mr. DeFrancesco earned his master's in corporate business management from Harvard Business School.

He was hired by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard at the age of 23 and spent the next 25 years leading an international effort to improve recorded information exchange among NATO allies. The methods were used in Cold War submarine warfare.

After leaving the yard, he led technological developments at Honeywell and GE Aerospace involving high-density, high-speed data capture systems.

While at a small company in 1993, Mr. DeFrancesco helped test technology to transmit high-resolution color images. He went on to develop solutions for similar issues facing the U.S. Department of Defense, then worked with a medical company on detection of brain-trauma blood flow.

Mr. DeFrancesco's last employer was Navmar Applied Sciences Corp., which was helping the Army develop methods to detect improvised explosive devices in the Middle East.

For the last six years, he worked from a wheelchair because of a rare spinal ailment.

"He was disabled, but worked long days from the house. He needed to distract himself, but he also believed in what he was working on," said his wife, the former Georgeanne H. Schmitt.

In leisure hours, he tinkered with his TV and recorders, was a handyman, read spy novels and science fiction, and enjoyed birding.

He and his wife married in 1966. The two moved to Willingboro and Bucks County. After several other moves, they settled in Chester Springs.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons Richard E. Jr. and Nicholas A.; daughters Christina M. and Jeannette E. Sherman; two grandchildren; a sister; and nieces and nephews.

Services were Monday, Feb. 11, with interment in All Souls Cemetery, West Brandywine.