https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/nyregion/willy-ley-rocket-ashes.html

New York|He Was a Prophet of Space Travel. His Ashes Were Found in a
Basement.
  
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/nyregion/
willy-ley-rocket-ashes.html

  * Share full article
  * 
  * 
  * 278
    278

You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your
access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will
load.
A black-and-white portrait of a seated Willy Ley, who looks off to
the side while holding a model rocket.
Willy Ley wrote prolifically about the potential of space travel,
translating complex astrophysics and rocketry concepts for the
public.Credit...via Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Skip to contentSkip to site index
 

He Was a Prophet of Space Travel. His Ashes Were Found in a Basement.

During his life, Willy Ley predicted the dawn of the Space Age with
remarkable accuracy. How did his remains end up forgotten in a co-op
on the Upper West Side?

Willy Ley wrote prolifically about the potential of space travel,
translating complex astrophysics and rocketry concepts for the
public.Credit...via Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Supported by

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

  * Share full article
  * 
  * 
  * 278
    278

By Maureen Cavanagh

  * Published April 21, 2025Updated April 22, 2025

The basement of the prewar co-op on the Upper West Side was so
cluttered and dark in one area that the staff called it "the
Dungeon," and last year, the building's new superintendent resolved
to clear it out.

Listen to this article with reporter commentary

For weeks, he hauled the junk left behind by former tenants -- old
air-conditioners, cans of paint, ancient elevator parts and rolled-up
carpets -- through the winding hallway with its low ceilings to the
dumpster out back.

About halfway through the job, he spied an old tin can on a shelf
next to a leaf blower. He read the label:

"Remains of Willy Ley. Cremated June 26, 1969."

This was not the sort of thing you toss in a dumpster.

The super brought his discovery to the co-op board president, Dawn
Nadeau. She had plenty of co-op business to attend to -- a lobby
renovation, a roof replacement -- but the disposition of someone's
ashes was new to her.

"We needed to handle the remains as respectfully as possible," said
Ms. Nadeau, a brand consultant. "So I set out trying to figure who
this was and who it belonged to."

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in
Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe
 for all of The Times.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

Site Index

Site Information Navigation

  * (c) 2025 The New York Times Company

  * NYTCo
  * Contact Us
  * Accessibility
  * Work with us
  * Advertise
  * T Brand Studio
  * Your Ad Choices
  * Privacy Policy
  * Terms of Service
  * Terms of Sale
  * Site Map
  * Canada
  * International
  * Help
  * Subscriptions

  * Manage Privacy Preferences