COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Dr. David Cruickshank, 66, died Dec. 1, 2022, in Colorado Springs. Dr. Cruickshank was born on Dec. 30, 1955, in Oshkosh, Nebraska.
He graduated from high school in Torrington, Wyoming before attending the U.S. Naval Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His education culminated with receiving a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
He was a visionary aerospace engineer who worked on many different elements of space technology, particularly for national defense with Pratt & Whitney and NASA before retiring from Lockheed Martin in Colorado Springs.
Dr. Cruickshank married Janet Primozich on Dec. 17, 1983, and they had two children Iain Cruickshank (Jenn), and Anna Hooper (Austin). He was so proud of his children, who both attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. Together, they have four grandchildren, David, Catherine, Andrew and Merrick.
Dr. Cruickshank was an avid mountaineer, cyclist, weightlifter, hunter and college football fan who passionately followed both the University of Nebraska and Naval Academy teams. He was a friend, confidant, and inspiration to those who knew him. He was never short of pithy, witty sayings nor of heartfelt words of encouragement, especially when the going got tough.
Dr. Cruickshank is preceded in death by his father, James Cruickshank, his mother Catherine (Malloy) Cruickshank, his brothers Michael Cruickshank and Steven Cruickshank. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Janet Cruickshank, his children Iain and Anna, his grandchildren, his sisters, Barbara Kern and Jackie Cohen, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of his life will be scheduled at a later date.
