Frank J. Tera

Frank Joseph Tera, 90, died peacefully on October 8 at Nunnawauk Meadows in Newtown.

Mr Tera was born in the Czech Republic on March 10, 1913, a son of the late Joseph and Marie (Pfeiffer) Tera. He graduated from the Czech Military Academy and became an officer in the Czech Army. Frank came to the United States in 1950 to escape the Communist regime.

A mechanical engineer, he worked for the Bulova Corporation, Woodside, N.Y., for 18 years in the research and development department on timing devices for rockets and missiles for the US Space Program. After retirement, not one to be idle, he returned to work for the Loral Corp until his move to Philadelphia, Penn., where he resided until moving to Newtown this past summer.

Mr Tera was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy (Stule) Tera.

He is survived by a daughter, Lydia Christensen, and her husband Jon, of Newtown; a grandson, Jon Christensen II of Mount Vernon, N.H.; a granddaughter, Karen McCann, and her husband Patrick, of Newtown; two great-grandsons, John and Michael McCann of Newtown; a sister, Marie Solcava of the Czech Republic; two sisters-in-law, Jarmila Kroha of Philadelphia, Penn., and Millie Stalc of Madisonville, Ky.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, November 8, at 11 am at the Newtown United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Newtown Methodist Church, Memorial Fund for Wesley Learning Center, 92 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482. Arrangements by the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown.

The Newtown Bee        November 7, 2003