Louis Vincent Nosenzo, Sr.

Louis (Lou) Nosenzo, Sr., age 91, passed away peacefully on July 26,2025 surrounded by family. He was a devout member of St, John Vianney, Sedona, Arizona. Lou is survived by his three children, Louis Nosenzo, Jr. (Maureen), Angela Fox (Al Johnson), and Christopher Nosenzo (Sherri), seven grandchildren, Tara Fox (Aaron), Alan Nosenzo, Kyle Fox (Dean), Justin Nosenzo (Jasmine), Jennifer Fox Goodman (Bill), Bethany Nosenzo, and Alex Nosenzo (Kate), and 4 great grandchildren.

Lou was born to Frank and Jennie Nosenzo on December 8, 1933 in Rosendale, N.Y. Lou attended Kingston High School, graduating Valedictorian. He went on to earn a Degree in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. He entered the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant, and was sent to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a graduate degree in Meteorology. He then was selected to attend MIT’s first graduate class in Astronautics and graduated with a Master’s of Science degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, with a 4.0 average.

After graduating he was assigned to the planning staff of the USAF Missiles and Space Systems Command. He worked on the deployment of the 1400 Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missile System and developed a defensive launch strategy for that weapon system that greatly reduced the land area for its deployment. He later worked on the initial design of the Space Shuttle, which subsequently was developed by NASA. He left the Service as a Captain in 1963. He joined the planning staff of United Aircraft Corporation and later, as a partner in a spinoff private company, working on missile defense systems and on the conceptual design of the F-15 air superiority fighter.

Lou joined the U.S. Department of State, in Washington, D.C. in 1973, heading their Military Nuclear Policy Office in the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs. In this position, he drafted and helped negotiate the Nuclear Suppliers Guidelines, an arrangement under which countries agree to adopt as national policy, specified restrictions on sensitive nuclear exports to countries of proliferation concern, now agreed to by over 60 countries.

In 1977, he became Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Energy Technology. During this period he drafted and led the Administration negotiations with the U.S. Congress on what became the Nuclear Nonproliferation Act of 1978, which remains the U.S. policy for civil nuclear cooperation with other countries. He also led, as an Ambassador Protem, U.S. negotiations worldwide for supply of U.S. reactors and fuel.

In 1981, he was appointed Deputy Assistant for Strategic Programs in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA). In 1984, in this position, he and his staff were responsible for drafting and coordinating the instructions for the U.S. Delegations to the three arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union for the reduction of Strategic Nuclear Systems, Intermediate Range Ballistic Systems, and Defense and Space (aka, star wars) negotiations. He was also the ACDA representative on the interagency groups coordinating the three negotiations and headed the interagency group in charge of the Defense and Space negotiations. He received a number of US State Department and ACDA meritorious awards and was given the rank of Meritorious Executive of the Senior Executive Service by President Ronald Reagan.

Lou retired from the U.S. Department of State in 1987. He joined Meridian Corporation, later purchased by Dyncorp Corporation. He became the President of DynMeridian, a division of DynCorp. His Division supported the Departments of Defense and Energy, and in particular, developed manuals on verifiable procedures for the dismantlement of Soviet ballistic missiles.

Lou retired in 1997. His beloved first wife, Ann (Dittmar) Nosenzo, passed away in 1994. He remarried Susanne (Yodders) Nosenzo and moved from McLean, Virginia to Sedona in 2004 and resided there until his death. He and his wife, Susanne, were active members of St John Vianney Catholic Church in Sedona. Susanne passed away in 2019.

A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, August 28, 2025 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Madison, Alabama. Visitation is at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be September 10 in Virginia. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hospice of Alabama.