George W. S. Abbey, former director of the Johnson Space Center today announced his retirement from NASA effective January 3, 2003, concluding almost a half-century of government service. The following is a statement from current JSC director, Jefferson D. Howell, Jr. on Abbey's years of service to NASA, the Johnson Space Center and the local community: "George Abbey dedicated himself to serving his country. He devoted 44 years to this nation's space program serving at JSC since 1964 and helped strengthen ties between JSC and the local community. He leaves us with a legacy that spans Apollo to Shuttle to the Space Station. We salute his commitment to duty as we continue to reap the benefits of his vision and hard work."

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