John D. "Jack" Gourlay, a retired National Security Agency analyst, died Friday of complications from heart disease at Lorien Mays Chapel in Timonium. He was 82.
The son of a tool-and-die maker and a homemaker, John David Gourlay was born in New Kensington, Pa., and graduated in 1949 from Anacostia High School in Washington.
Mr. Gourlay served in the Army Security Agency, and then worked for the NSA from 1953 until 1987, when he retired from NSA headquarters at Fort Meade.
An intercept operator, Mr. Gourlay was stationed in Japan for nine years and also at Fort Devans, Mass., and Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.
The former longtime resident of Loch Raven Village later moved to White Marsh and finally to Mays Chapel two years ago. He enjoyed flower gardening and working on his koi pond.
He also enjoyed reading history and biography.
Mr. Gourlay was a member of the Phoenix Society, American Legion, Mount Moriah Lodge, St. Andrews Society and Towson Presbyterian Church.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, York and Overbrook roads, Rodgers Forge.
Mr. Gourlay is survived by his wife of 48 years, the former Jeanne Coyne, a French and Spanish teacher; a daughter, Bonnie Jeanne Zirpoli of Leesburg, Va.; and two grandchildren.