PROGRAMS:

COMPANIES:

• Boeing
• Rockwell

LOCATIONS:

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Stennis Space Center, Mississippi

COMMENTS:

From the early days of the Mercury-Redstone in Alabama, where he met his wife, Annette, and, his two daughters, Patricia Ann and Deborah Jo were born…to being transfered to Titusville, Florida, where his son John Charles was born…to continue his Space Career when transferred to the Stennis Space Center where he retired, he was a dedicated employee.

As kids, we would watch launches from our rooftop.  As a Dad, he would spend hours at work where he was part of an engineering team that worked on the engines from Mercury to Gemini to Apollo to the Space Shuttle.  In his spare time, he continued being fascinated with spaceflight, as his hobby was building and flying R/C planes and rockets.  And, when he wasn’t building planes and rockets, he was creating or inventing a better way to do something he could use in his hobby.  One of his larger personal achievements was building the Cabin Cruiser….yes…a boat!…from start to finish.  We enjoyed a lot of family time and adventures cruising on the Indian River.

Our family couldn’t be prouder of the contributions he made and the journey we all felt privileged and honored to have traveled with him.   He didn’t talk much about his work at home.  But we knew his work ethic.  He took pride in what he did, and, doing the job right.  He was part of the pioneers of Space.  I wonder if we kids really realized the impact that each NASA team member made.  It was just part of our life.

His family is very proud of him, and his talent that contributed to the success of these programs.

35 years.  And, if my memory is correct, he only missed maybe 10 days of work!   He loved his work.  And we loved him for it.  So cool to have seen a Shuttle Engine test close up.  To see ‘rain’ made from the cloud created by the firing of the engine.   To look over the Indian River at the VAB and realize with awe, “that’s where Dad works”.

To always try to catch a launch.  Never taking it for granted.  And, always being proud.

I can’t think of a better way to honor His Life than memorializing his name on the monuments representing the Space Achievements he helped make possible.