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J. Herbert Ogden | Manufacturer, 91

J. Herbert Ogden, 91, of Valley Forge, a business owner and inventor, died July 16 at home.

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J. Herbert Ogden, 91, of Valley Forge, a business owner and inventor, died July 16 at home.

Mr. Ogden grew up in Lansdowne and graduated from William Penn Charter School. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a star football player.

During World War II, he served in the Navy as a pilot in England and later as an intelligence officer.

After his discharge, he was director of sales for Burlington Mills in New York. In the 1960s, he established H.P. Ogden Co., now Ogden Technologies in Valley Forge. The company manufactures specialized material, including a static-free fabric that Mr. Ogden developed for NASA. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he and other company specialists developed SafeTcrete, a shatter-proof concrete. He never retired, his daughter Hads said.

In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife of 30 years, Marilyn Cummings Ogden; daughters Marquis English, Kimberly Hankins and Katharine; sons Raymond and J. Herbert Jr.; nine grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. He is predeceased by his former wife, Margaret Ogden.

The funeral was private.