Of Haddonfield, died on Saturday, Jan. 1, at the age of 84. Mr. Monshaw graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He interrupted college to serve in the United States Army Air Corp from 1945–1947. He received his Bachelor of electrical engineering degree from The College of the City of New York (CCNY) in 1949 and a Master of electrical engineering degree from CCNY in 1954. Upon graduation he was employed by the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories. In 1956 he joined RCA Government Systems in Camden, working on a number of military and classified programs.
In 1962 he transferred to the newly formed RCA Astro Electronics Division in Hightstown, working as an engineer and manager on a number of government, commercial and classified satellite programs. In 1979, as director of product assurance, he was responsible for the development and implementation of design analysis and assembly techniques to assure the reliability, quality and in-orbit functional lifetime of the RCA Astro observation, navigation, communication scientific and classified satellite systems. In 1986 he was included in Who’s Who in America for his contributions to the aerospace industry, in particular, satellites. In 1989 he joined GE Government systems Division in Moorestown, with responsibilities for radar and sonar systems in Moorestown and Syracuse, N.Y. He retired in 1991 to pursue private consulting.
Elected a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in 1983 with the citation “for contributions to the reliability of space electronic systems” he was a recipient of the IEEE Centennial Medal in 1984 and the IEEE Third Millennium Medal in 2001. A member of the Philadelphia Section Executive Committee since 1984, he has also served as president of the IEEE Reliability Society, as general chairman of the Reliability and Maintainability Symposium and as a member of the Hoover Medal Board of Award.
As the United States Representatives to the International Electrotechnical Committee for 12 years, he was chairman of the committee responsible for the preparation of International Standards on Reliability analysis techniques that are now widely used in international commerce.
He is survived by his second wife Harriet Gotchel Weldon Monshaw, a brother Walter of West New York, two sons David of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Andrew of New Fairfield, Conn., a stepdaughter Daria Barber of Austin, Texas, four grandchildren, Alexander, Russell, Sydney and Stella. His first wife Margaret Collins died in 1998.
Mr. Monshaw’s family will receive friends on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 10–10:45 a.m. at St. Bartholomew’s Church, 1989 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill, where his funeral service will follow 11 a.m. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mr. Monshaw’s name may be made to St. Bartholomew Church at the above address or to The Church of the Holy Trinity, 316 East 88th St., New York, NY 10128 or to The City College of New York, Office of Development and Institutional Advancement (Dept. of Electrical Engineering), 160 Convent Avenue, Shepard 154, New York, NY 10031 (payable to “City College 21st Century Foundation”).
