Gordon Negus' Obituary
GORDON NEGUS, Classic Cold War Warrior, Leader in Strategic Intelligence
Gordon Negus, 72, son of the late Hugh and Gladys Negus of Syracuse, New York, died 4 May at his home in Lewes, Delaware of esophageal cancer. Mr. Negus was a former Executive Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and a leader in the field of national strategic intelligence.
Mr. Negus was born in Syracuse, New York. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Barbara Negus, also of Syracuse, New York; six children, Catherine Kennedy of Coronado, Ca; CDR Thomas Negus, USN of Virginia Beach, Va; Margaret Burkhart of Jeffersontown, Va; Mary Negus, of Austin, Tx; Laura Moore of Austin, Tx; and Dr. Charles Negus of San Diego, Ca; and fourteen grand-children.
Mr. Negus spent 32 years in Government service, primarily as a Soviet strategic analyst, capping his federal service as the Executive Director of DIA from 1986 to 1990. In that capacity, he provided strategic planning and guidance for the military intelligence agency, managed the agency's global intelligence resources, and oversaw world-wide intelligence operations. Before he was selected to lead the agency as Executive Director, he served as the DIA senior analyst for arms control negotiations on behalf of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and was selected to be the first Soviet Strategic Defense Intelligence Officer, a pilot program to coordinate interagency assessments and intelligence on select matters of national significance.
Since his retirement from the Federal government in 1990, Mr. Negus provided consulting services to national intelligence organizations, primarily in the areas of strategic planning, future intelligence requirements, and performance assessment. His recent efforts were focused on applying the precepts of philosophical knowledge epistemology to the tradecraft of intelligence analysis to ensure appropriate analytic rigor and information sharing within the intelligence community.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from LeMoyne College, a small Jesuit college in Syracuse, NY, Mr. Negus began his government career as an electronic engineer with the Rome Air Development Center, United States Air Force, where his work included exploratory development research in communication satellites. While working for the Air Force he earned a Master of Science degree in Physics from Syracuse University. He was a 1973 graduate of the National War College, earning a Master of Science degree in National Security Studies.
Mr. Negus was awarded the Presidential Exceptional Service Award for his work on Soviet strategic targeting in support of SALT II, and was a recipient of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Award, the Distinguished Executive Service Award, and two Director, DIA, Exceptional Service Awards. He was also awarded an honorary PhD in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College.
Mr. Negus served on a number of scientific and strategic advisory boards to include the Joint Strategic Targeting Planning Staff Scientific Advisory Committee; the Director of Central Intelligence Nonproliferation Panel, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Nonproliferation/Arms Control/International Security Advisory Committee, Strategic Air Command Scientific Advisory Group, and the Defense Science Board.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to the Tunnel Cancer Society, Beebe Medical Center, Lewes, Delaware. Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00 am on Wed, 9 May at St. Edmond's Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. A viewing will begin at 10:00 in the Church.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Lewes, Delaware.
PDF Printable Version
What’s your fondest memory of Gordon?
What’s a lesson you learned from Gordon?
Share a story where Gordon's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Gordon you’ll never forget.
How did Gordon make you smile?