Defense Intelligence Chief Gordon Negus

Gordon Negus, 72, former executive director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, died May 4 at his home in Lewes, Del. He had esophageal cancer.

Mr. Negus spent 32 years in government, working primarily as an analyst of Soviet strategy. He was the DIA's executive director from 1986 to 1990, providing strategic planning and guidance for the military intelligence agency, managing the agency's global intelligence resources and overseeing worldwide intelligence operations.

When Mr. Negus retired in 1990, Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said: "Mr. Negus played a vital role in formulating our country's negotiating position on the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks with the Soviet Union. Through his efforts, the threat of nuclear holocaust has been reduced, making the world a safer place for all of us."

Five years after his retirement, Mr. Negus said in a letter to the editor of the New York Times that the post-Cold War nation still needed a strong CIA.

"Intelligence must still monitor and interpret the major, glacierlike, regional geopolitical power shifts in all continents, and it will be of immense importance to our future well-being," he wrote. "Future strategic threats include the Asian economic explosion; the declining rationale for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Japan's growing political power; the increased economic strength of a confederated Europe, and Russia's future position in Eurasia."

A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Mr. Negus graduated from his home town's LeMoyne College. He worked as an electrical engineer with the Air Force's Rome Air Development Center, where he did exploratory development research in communication satellites. He received a master's degree in physics from Syracuse University and in 1973 received a master's degree in national security studies from the National War College.

He was the DIA senior analyst for arms control negotiations on behalf of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was selected to be the first Soviet strategic defense intelligence officer in a pilot program to coordinate interagency assessments and intelligence.

After he left the federal government, Mr. Negus consulted for national intelligence organizations in strategic planning, future intelligence requirements and performance assessment.

Mr. Negus was awarded the president's Exceptional Service Award, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Executive Service Award and two of the DIA director's Exceptional Service Awards.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Barbara Negus of Lewes; six children, Catherine Kennedy of Coronado, Calif., Navy Cmdr. Thomas Negus of Virginia Beach, Margaret Burkhart of Jeffersonton, Va., Mary Negus and Laura Moore, both of Austin, and Dr. Charles Negus of San Diego; and 14 grandchildren.