April 20, 1931 – February 17, 2023

James Edward (Jim) Kessel was born on April 20, 1931 in Waukon, Iowa to Henry Joseph Kessel and Margret Moore Kessel. He served 5 years in the United States Army and used the G.I. Bill to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from Southwestern University, Lafayette Louisiana in 1956. That same year he met and married the love of his life, Joy Dale Nugent. Upon graduation he was hired by LSU as a physics Instructor and entered their graduate program. His teaching career was cut short when he was recruited by Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama to work with the German rocket scientists to develop a U.S. weapons version of the V-2 rocket. The German design team was spun off in 1961 and transferred to the newly founded NASA Manned Spacecraft Center located in Houston, Texas. The family settled in Friendswood, Texas where he continued his NASA career working in many departments including the Gemini and Apollo space programs until he retired in 1979. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joy Dale Kessel, of Friendswood, his children, Jack Kessel and wife Andrea of Alvin, Texas, Bob Kessel and wife Tracey of Friendswood, Texas, Bill Kessel of Friendswood, Texas, grandchild Joey Kessel and wife Amber, and great grandchildren Brooke Kessel and Claire Kessel all of Friendswood Texas. He was preceded in death by his grandson Matthew Kessel.