Dwight Dean Illingworth, age 86, of North Platte, NE, died Tuesday, November 15, 2016, at Linden Court.

Dwight was born December 2, 1929, to Wilfrid Bertrand and Maude Teresa Hurst Illingworth at Fairfield, NE where he grew up and was baptized in the Christian Church. Dwight graduated from Fairfield High School in 1947 then moved to South Bend, IN to work for the Studebaker Automobile Company.

In 1951 Dwight was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Following his discharge in 1953, he returned to Nebraska and enrolled at Milford Community College. He then moved to Wichita, KS to work for Boeing Aircraft and later transferred to Marietta, GA and Huntsville, AL to work for NASA before moving to Palm Dale, CA with Lockheed Martin Aircraft. Much of Dwight’s work and locations were unknown to his family since his projects, which included the Stealth Aircraft, were classified Top Secret. He retired from Lockheed in 1996 and was a member of the Machinist Union. He eventually returned to Nebraska in 2003, living in North Platte then Stone Hearth in Gothenburg before moving to Linden Court in 2013.

He is survived by his sister, Betty (John) Reisbick, of North Platte; nieces, Sandra Simonson, Kathy Brown, Cheryl (Michael) Decker and Laurie (Brent) Villone; great nieces, Taryn Brown and Kate Decker; great nephews, Tom Simonson, Ryan Brown, Jacob and Alex Villone and Greg Decker; and other family.

Dwight was preceded in death by his parents, Wilfrid and Maude; sister and brother-in-law, Fern and Fred Green; and niece, Debbie Foltz.

Cremation was chosen. Memorial Service will be 10 a.m. Thursday, December 15, 2016, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Inurnment with Military Honors will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or prior to the service at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore which is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for the North Platte Alzheimer’s Support Group.