When Legends Die

Contrary to the beliefs of many, this is not an editorial about Penn State, Joe P, or anyone else even slightly of that magnitude. It is about a giant in their field; a person that made an such an impression in that field that they are now held up as an example for all to emulate. No, not a football coach or any kind of sports figure; just a simple gal that decided she wanted to fly in space. Dr. Sally Ride.

Sally was certainly remembered as the first American woman in space, the first woman to fly on a space shuttle, one of the first astronauts tagged to help in the Challenger disaster investigation and appointed to the presidents board that tackled the much needed revampment of NASA’s long range and strategic planning. When her glory days in space were over and she slipped off into a quiet retirement, she didn’t stay quiet very long. In her retirement she promoted education to younger students with her science education startup Sally Ride Science in San Diego. She authored five science books for children and served on dozens of NASA, space and technology advisory panels.

To put it simple, she was and remained a class act throughout her life. And in battling pancreatic cancer she continued her quest in the same quiet, diligent manner she became known for. Many credit her for breaking down barriers but she tended to stay focused on the mission and let others worry about what barriers she had flown through. The fact that since her first flight some 46 other women from the US and other countries have flown in space and proven that in space, equality is more than a hope, it is very much a common practice that speaks highly for us as a people. Ride is survived by her mother; her partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy; a sister; a niece and a nephew.

We would like to say that Sally has arisen on the wings of angels, to frankly, she probably piloted the trip.