Charles S. Lapinski Sr., age 89, a retired technical director advanced electro-optical development and design for Perkin-Elmer Electro-Optical Systems, died Thursday, October 4, 2007 from respiratory failure at St. Joseph's Manor in Trumbull. His wife of 62 years preceded him in 2004. He was born in Bridgeport and graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering in 1939. His professional career began with engineering design and development for the U.S. Navy in Crane, Ind. and General Electric, Bridgeport during World War II and the Korean War. He then went to work for Perkin-Elmer Corporation in Norwalk and its Electro-Optical Systems in Danbury. He held several patents and among his many accomplishments, he was engineering development and design technical director for the Hubble Space Telescope. With his wife of 62 years by his side, they took great pride and joy in watching and influencing the growth of his six grandchildren as they traveled to celebrate their many sports, and academic activities and accomplishments. He especially liked to watch them on mini hikes and outings, playing in his backyard and woods, learning to appreciate all of "life's little spectaculars." He is survived by his three children, Charles "Chuck" Lapinski of Silver Spring Md., Barbara "Babs" Lapinski Oblinger of Maitland, Fla. and Kenneth "Ken" Lapinski of Cincinnati Ohio; six grandchildren, Beau Oblinger of North Bay Village, Fla., Brett Oblinger of Maitland, Fla., Michelle Lapinski of San Francisco Calif., Erin Rogers of Westlake, Ohio, Ryan Lapinski of Bay Village, Ohio and Eric Lapinski of Ashton, Md.; and two great-grandchildren, Daniel Rogers of Westlake and Brady Oblinger of North Bay Village, Fla. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. DIRECTLY in St. Michael the Archangel Church, 310 Pulaski Street, Bridgeport with a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in St. Michael's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Heart Association, Alzheimer's Association or Parkinson's Foundations. Arrangements by the Redgate-Hennessy Funeral Home, Main Street and Gorham Place, Trumbull.