A man who helped build the lunar lander for the Apollo space program has died. Anthony R. Patti, known affectionately to family and friends as Tony, Richard, Dick, and Dad, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the age of 91 after a long illness. He was a longtime resident of Burlington, Massachusetts, and Sanbornville, New Hampshire.
Born in Boston as the only son of Santo and Grace Patti, Anthony grew up surrounded by rich Italian traditions. Those early years taught him the value of family, hard work, and simple joys shared around the dinner table. He carried those lessons with him for the rest of his life, becoming the cornerstone of his own loving household.
Anthony graduated from Dorchester High School before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University. His sharp mind and dedication to precision laid the groundwork for a career that would take him far beyond the classroom and into some of the most ambitious engineering projects of the twentieth century.
For more than forty years, Anthony worked as a mechanical engineer for United Engineers & Constructors, which later became part of Raytheon. He contributed his expertise to major endeavors across the United States and around the globe. Among his most notable achievements was his work on the intricate design and construction of the lunar lander for the Apollo space program, the vehicle that carried astronauts to the surface of the moon. He also played a key role in the development of diverse power plants that helped power communities worldwide.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Anthony was remembered as a loving father, a devoted husband, a caring friend, and a kind soul. His gentle humor and unwavering support created a home filled with warmth and laughter. Family and friends often spoke of how his quiet acts of care turned ordinary moments into cherished memories. He was the kind of man who showed up when it mattered, who listened more than he spoke, and who made the people around him feel secure and valued.
Anthony is survived by his wife, his children, and his extended family. His children were the center of his world, and he poured himself into fatherhood with the same dedication he brought to engineering. His grandchildren knew him as a gentle presence, someone who had time for stories and questions, someone who had helped send men to the moon but never acted as if that made him more important than anyone else.
A funeral Mass celebrating his life was held at St. Margaret’s Church in Burlington on Monday, April 13, 2026. Family and friends gathered to share stories, to honor a man whose quiet strength had guided them for decades, and to say goodbye. The church was filled with people whose lives he had touched, from the engineers who worked alongside him to the grandchildren who knew him simply as Grandpa.
The communities of Burlington and Sanbornville have lost a remarkable man. Anthony’s legacy endures through the values he lived by, the engineering contributions that helped shape history, and the enduring bonds of love he forged with his family and friends. He proved that a life well-lived is measured not only by grand achievements but by the quiet, consistent kindness that touches hearts for generations. He returned to God on April 7, 2026, and those who loved him will carry his memory forward every day.
