Aileen Fong Shane

SPARTA — Aileen Fong Shane, of Sparta, passed away peacefully at home on January 4, 2017. Her beloved husband of 63 years, Harold Shane, was by her side. She was 90.
Born in Newark, NJ, Mrs. Shane was a licensed Professional Engineer, earning a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Newark College of Engineering in 1946, shortly before her 20th birthday. In 1954, she earned an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken.
In 1950, Mrs. Shane participated in the founding meeting of the Society of Women Engineers, at Cooper Union’s Green Engineering Camp, which brought together women from the New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington D.C. regions.
Her professional career started at Curtiss-Wright Propeller Division, in Caldwell, NJ. She then worked for Curtiss-Wright’s Ram Jet Division in Wood-Ridge, NJ. In the early 1950’s, she worked at Reaction Motors, in Rockaway, NJ, where she was involved in the fledgling space flight program. At Reaction Motors, Mrs. Shane worked on the design of the engine cooling system for the first North American X-15 rocket plane, on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum.
While taking time off to raise her children in the 1960’s and 1970’s, Mrs. Shane served as a substitute teacher for physics, math, drafting, and home economics classes at Sparta High School, Sparta Jr. High School, and Sussex County Vo-Tech. In the early 1970’s, she also served as a Brownie troop co-leader.
In the mid 1970’s, Mrs. Shane returned to the workforce at Howmet Corporation in Dover, NJ, and later worked at Picatinny Arsenal, where she designed fuzes. She retired from Picatinny in 1991.
A multi-faceted person, Mrs. Shane was not only a rocket scientist, but possessed much appreciation for music and the arts, and had several interests and abilities. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, and gardening, as well as trips to Israel, Turkey, Korea, and China. Learning about other cultures was a favorite interest. Her family benefited from her desire to gain a deeper understanding of the world around her.
Mrs. Shane had a big heart, and wanted the best for humanity. A first-generation Chinese-American, she had a lifetime of experience with prejudice and discrimination. She wanted others facing similar challenges to be heard, and to be aided. Her life touched many people, and she had an unquenchable spirit. Although she never regarded herself as a trailblazer and never saw herself as anything special, she was unique in every way.
Aileen is survived by her husband Harold Shane and son Joseph Shane, both of Sparta; daughter Jordana Shane, son-in-law Brian Peice, and granddaughter Elaine Maulucci of Conshohocken, PA; and her brother Victor Fong and sister-in-law Gloria Fong, of Rhode Island. Her many cousins are saddened by her passing, in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews who dearly miss their “little firecracker aunt.”
The family would like to express their gratitude to all the friends and relatives who have offered their love and support in the past weeks, the staff at Compassionate Care Hospice in Sparta and staff at Newton Medical Center, Dr. Howard Gooen, Rabbi Shmuel Lewis, and the kindness of everyone at Jewish Memorial Chapel in Clifton, NJ.
Donations in memory of Aileen Shane can be directed to the Sparta Public Library, 22 Woodport Road, Sparta, NJ, 07871; to the Society of Women Engineers, 130 East Randolph Street, #3500, Chicago, IL 60601, online at npo.justgive.org/swe ; or to a charity of your choice.