Harold (Hal) Whitlow

Harold (Hal) Whitlow died March 2, 2026. He was 88.

Whitlow joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in 1960 and first worked in the Pluto Program, the effort to develop a ram-jet engine, until the program’s completion in 1964. As an engineering technician, he transferred to the Weapons Engineering and remained in that group until his retirement, supporting many weapon engineering related projects including participating in the stockpile reduction program. He served as a deputy director on two International Engineering/Physics meeting with the AvS Engineering/Physics society as part of his continuing support of LLNL’s international recognition. He was a volunteer firefighter in Discovery Bay for 22 years, answering the call in the middle of the night to serve his neighbors. 

He is survived by his sister Shirley; his nephew Scott; Scott's wife, Donna; their children; Jonathan, Brooke and Wrenly; Austin; Makenna and Joshua; his nephew Todd, his son TJ; his niece Samantha, husband Michelle, their daughters, Karlee and Faith; his stepson Auggie and granddaughter Becky.

A remembrance ceremony will be held on May 30 at DBYC in Discovery Bay from 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.