Ernst R. Letsch; Aerospace Engineer

Ernst R. Letsch, an aerospace engineer who also worked on behalf of the developmentally disabled, has died at an Encino hospital. He was 64.

A longtime resident of Encino, Letsch died Thursday of cancer, said his wife, Marion Letsch.

Born in Switzerland, Letsch came to the United States in his 20s. In 1955, he was hired as an engineer at The Aerospace Corp. in El Segundo, where he worked on the Titan booster and various satellite programs.

Letsch took an active role with the developmentally disabled. He was president of the board of directors of Valley Village in Northridge, a group home for the developmentally disabled, and had been on the board for about eight years. Since 1980, Letsch had been on the board of directors of Tierra Del Sol, a Sunland-based training center for the disabled. His daughter, Karen Letsch, lives at Valley Village and attends Tierra Del Sol.

In addition to his wife of 29 years and his daughter, Letsch is survived by a brother, Hans Letsch of Aarau, Switzerland.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace Community Church, 13248 Roscoe Blvd., Sun Valley. Pierce Brothers Cunningham & O’Connor Mortuary in Los Angeles is handling the arrangements. Donations can be made in Letsch’s name to Valley Village, 17317 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge 91325.