Mike Povec, 89, was born in Gloversville, New York, on June 5, 1935, and passed away in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Thursday, September 26, 2024.

He graduated from Dolgeville High School in 1953 in Dolgeville, New York, and attended Syracuse University. He served his country honorably in the Korean War as a tank commander. Afterwards, he joined Martin Marietta Corporation and moved to various locations with the Titan Missile program. At the end of the Titan program, he moved to Mississippi to work for GE with the Saturn Program test sites. He then transferred to Cape Canaveral, Florida, to work on the launch site for the Apollo Program for Chrysler Corporation. At the end of Apollo Program, he returned to Martin Marietta as Director of Product Assurance for the manufacture of the external tank on the Space Shuttle Program where he retired. He received the NASA Public Service Award in 1989, for significant contributions and superior leadership to the Space Shuttle Program. He was truly a product of the space age and was never afraid to tackle any project whether it was putting a man on the moon or physically building a new home for his family.

After retirement he relocated to Savannah, Georgia, where he was a member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus where he served as Grand Knight. He was also very active in the Chatham County Republican Party where he received the J.C. Lewis Outstanding Republican of the year award in 2009.

Mike loved to work on home improvement projects and was always readily available to neighbors. All of his neighbors were treated as family and loved accordingly.

Mike is survived by his sons, Lt. Col. Mark Povec (Brandy) of Oklahoma, and Mike Povec (Debbie) of Tow, Texas, and two grandchildren, Hunter Tate Povec and Cameron Joseph Povec.

He was predeceased by his parents, Michael Joseph Povec and Dorothy Carrig, his wife of 51 years, Joy Povec, and his sisters, Mary Norman and Theresa Gardner.

A Memorial Mass will be 11:00a.m., Monday, November 25th, at St. Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. Interment will be in Hillcrest Abbey East Memorial Park.