Valentine G. Meixner

February 2, 1931 - January 8, 2022

Valentine George Meixner 1931-2022 Val Meixner, 90, of Speculator passed peacefully Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, at home with his wife holding his hand. Val was born in Brooklyn Feb. 2, 1931 and raised in Lynbrook, Queens, the son of Valentine Henry and Emma Katherine (Worter) Meixner, in the Lutheran faith. He was the fifth Valentine Meixner, a name which originated in Miltenberg on the Main River in the State of Bavaria, Germany. He graduated Lynbrook High School at age 17 with high honors in mathematics and science. He studied electrical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy for two years, until being hospitalized for over a year to treat tuberculosis; he subsequently graduated Polytechnic Institute of New York University in Brooklyn with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He began his career at Sperry Gyroscope Company (1952-57) on Long Island for $54 a week, where he stayed for five years. He started as a test technician of electrical motor transformers and microwave antennas. He was a design engineer for microwave components and antennas when he left. He moved to General Bronze Corporation (1957-60), where he was an airborne and ground-based microwave antennas designer and manager of various projects. General Bronze did contract work for the U.S. Air Force, erecting huge radar installations on Greenland. He moved to Republic Aviation Corporation (1960-65) as a microwave antenna specialist. When Republic was sold to Fairchild Industries, he went to Airborne Instrument Laboratories (1966-76) as deputy program manager for AN/PPS-5 US Army combat surveillance radar. He spent 10 weeks of 1969 leading a team of engineers teaching infantry units in Viet Nam how to use portable ground radar, while traveling by helicopter and ground vehicle. His last position there was as director of production program operations for the Air Force’s first automated air traffic control system, the TPX-42. Done with working for others, in early 1976 Val bought Fred Knapp’s Lake Pleasant Electric business and moved his family from Long Island to Lake Pleasant. He subsequently opened an office for United Farm Agency real estate, and later started his own real estate business, Mountain Lakes Real Estate. He closed that business and retired in the fall of 2013. Val had fond memories of summering on Peconic Bay on eastern Long Island with his maternal grandparents from 1938-45. Much of his adult life while on Long Island was devoted to recreational and competitive sailing. Val had an encyclopedic knowledge of the Civil War. He was an avid reader of mostly non-fiction books, especially history; a political and financial news junkie; and a stalwart Mets fan. He enjoyed watching televised sports, documentaries, and old movies; listening to jazz and opera; and as a younger man camping and fishing. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Cristine Leadley Meixner; his children, David (Rhonda) and Andrew (Beth) Meixner and Karen (Jon) Kasman; grandchildren Ashley (Kory) Nagy and Eric (Elizabeth) Meixner and Lauren (Dan Brill) Meixner and Emily and Alex Kasman; and great-grandsons Hudson and Hunter Nagy. He was predeceased by his sister, Patricia (Arvel) Gentry. As per Val’s wishes there will be no calling hours or funeral service. Those who wish to make a donation in his memory are asked to consider Hamilton County Twigs, POB 102, Lake Pleasant NY 12108. Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Northville Funeral Home. Condolences may be made to the family online at www.northvillefuneralservice.com.