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WARREN - Richard B. "Dick" Sabey Sr., 87, died at 7:25 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital of pneumonia.

He was born Aug. 19, 1922, in Pierre, S.D., a son of Byron W. Sabey and Elsie Staben Sabey, and was a graduate of Pierre High School. He came to Warren in 1986 from Palmdale, Calif.

He was a pilot in the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. He retired in 1980 from Rockwell International Aerospace, where he was a designer and illustrator, and had worked on the space shuttle, the B-1 bomber and the X-15.

Dick enjoyed golfing and bowling. In addition to being an accomplished pilot, he also built his own airplane, motor boat and sports car. He enjoyed repairing clocks and radios and was known as ''Mr. Fix It.''

He was also an accomplished artist, working in oils and watercolors, and was also a metal sculptor. His family and friends knew Dick as an inquisitive can-do guy who always had some project or interest under way.

Survivors include his wife, Dottie Dixon Sabey, whom he married Sept. 6, 1980; children Richard B. Sabey Jr. of Anaheim, Calif., and Janice (Marlan) Waller of Durango, Colo.; stepchildren, Linda DeScenna of Sherman Oaks, Calif., Tom (Cindy) DeScenna of Brookfield, Bob (Pam) DeScenna of Cortland and David (Margie) DeScenna of Hartford; seven stepgrandchildren and a stepgreat-grandson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and two sisters.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Peter Rossi & Son Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Frederick Trucksis officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to the services Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Summer Enrichment Program for Handicapped Children of Trumbull County, 2202 Niles Cortland Road, Cortland, 44410.

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