Howard Samuel “Sam” Meeks III passed peacefully on Jan. 8, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. He was born in 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Howard Samuel Meeks II and Anne Vail Meeks.

He graduated from William Penn High School in New Castle, Delaware, in 1973.

Shortly after earning an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering at Brevard Community College in Melbourne, Florida, in 1977, he entered a co-op program with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center while completing a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering at Florida Technological University, now the University of Central Florida, in 1981.

He subsequently worked for NASA for 25 years, starting with launch pad structures on the first space shuttle launch and ending with mission assurance roles for various expendable vehicles.

Sam then worked for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) at Vandenberg Airforce Base in California, as the agency’s mission assurance representative on the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense missile system. He retired after six years with the MDA in 2010. 

Sam met his future spouse Kathleen “Katie” Brenna shortly after their high school graduations, and they were married in 1978.

In addition to Kathleen, Sam is survived by his brother John Robert Meeks (Christina) of Williamsburg, Virginia; his sister Sarah Elizabeth Meeks of Cocoa Beach, Florida; and seven nephews and nieces.

Sam was dedicated to family. He was also a car, motorcycle, boat and aviation enthusiast, and he could fix anything that had moving parts. No challenge was deemed too complicated.

A memorial service for family and friends was held Feb. 7 at Celebration Church in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

His ashes will be interred with a graveside service at 11 a.m. Friday, April 17 at Lompoc Cemetery.

Condolences to the family may be sent in care of Kathleen Brenna, P.O. Box 321299, Cocoa Beach, FL 32932. Those wishing to make a contribution in Sam’s memory are asked to consider the MD Anderson Cancer Center or a charity of your choice.