Mr. Jay Henry Laue, 92, of Huntsville, Alabama, died Monday, August 24 in Huntsville. Jay was born in Effingham, Illinois to Walter and Elsie (Johanns) Laue.
He graduated from University of Notre Dame with an engineering degree. Upon completing his college studies, he was drafted into the US Army. He began his two-year military service with basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. In 1956, he was assigned to the US Army Engineering battalion in Huntsville, Alabama to support the work of the Army Ballistic Missile Command. After completing his military service, he stayed in Huntsville to work briefly for the Army.
When NASA was founded in 1958, he joined NASA. As a NASA Aerospace engineer, he worked on many programs including the Apollo program, Tethered Satillite and others. He retired from government service and spent several years working for contractors including SRS and SAIC.
While working at NASA, Jay met and married Friederike Pauli in 1963 and they raised five children in Huntsville. He was very active in Holy Spirit Catholic Church, school, and Boy Scout Troop. In the early 1990’s, they moved to a house on Tim’s Ford Lake that he designed. Jay spent many fun weekends waterskiing and enjoying the beautiful Tim’s Ford lake surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
Jay enjoyed his family and was devoted to his faith. He shared his love of automobiles with his sons. In his later years, he enjoyed music and frequently would sing favorite songs.
Survivors include his children, Cindy Byrd and husband, Bill, Jeff Laue and wife, Melissa, Dr. Bryan Laue and wife, Ann, Karl Laue and wife, Christy, and Greg Laue and wife, Holly; his sister, Tess Ziegler and husband, Ron; twelve grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison, Alabama and will be followed by a funeral mass.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your favorite charity or church.
