Lawrence Laverne CuppettLawrence Laverne Cuppett, devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and veteran of America's space program, died peacefully surrounded by family on August 24, 2017.  He was 99.He was born on May 24, 1918 in Grafton, West Virginia. Mr. Cuppett's life-long work ethic and resourcefulness began early, when he left school to help out at his father's service station in Clarksburg, West Virginia.  Soon thereafter he married his childhood sweetheart and life-mate, Lenora Ruth Pitts, in 1940 in the Broadneck Methodist Church.In 1940, Mr. Cuppett joined the Glenn L. Martin Company in Middle River, Maryland, beginning a career that would span four decades, four launch vehicles (Vanguard and Titan I, II, and III), and American space missions including the Gemini, Voyager, and Viking Programs.In 1957, after Martin won the contract to design and build the Titan I, a multi-stage launch vehicle that would carry spacecraft and astronauts for decades, the Cuppett family moved to Cocoa, Florida. Mrs. and Mr. Cuppett raised their three children Anne, Patricia, and Paul John, and together lived in the same home until their deaths in 2009 and 2017, respectively.In 1958, the first Titan rocket arrived at Cape Canaveral where it was rigorously tested by an independent division, separate from the team that designed the rocket, maintaining objectivity and avoiding any preconceived notions about what should work and how. Mr. Cuppett served on that mission and many others, helping to build the launch vehicles that would safely and reliably power manned space flight(Gemini), put the first man on Mars (Viking), probe deep space (Voyager), support the ICBM program, and launch untold communications and reconnaissance satellites.Mr. Cuppett retired from Martin Marietta in 1983 and together with Lenora enjoyed cruises, visiting their grandchildren in Maryland, and volunteering every week at Wuesthoff hospital (15,000 volunteer hours between them).  Life-long United Methodists, Lenora and Lawrence worshipped at the First United Methodist Church of Cocoa, Florida, from its earliest days as a congregation.  Together they supported the missions and ministry of the United Methodist Church.  Mr. Cuppett is survived by two children Patricia Castro (Larry) and Paul John Cuppett (Lisa); four grandchildren Darren (Debbi), Brian, Sarah (Dan), and Matthew; one greatchild Jackson Gage Blynn.Visitation will be on Monday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. at The Open Door: A United Methodist Community (formerly known as First United Methodist Church of Cocoa and located at 825 Forrest Avenue). The memorial service will follow immediately at 11:00 a.m. at the same location. The graveside service and interment will occur at 12:30p.m.at Florida Memorial Gardens (located at 5950 US-1, Rockledge).As an expression of sympathy, the family suggests, in lieu of flowers, donations to The Open Door or the Brevard Sharing Center.