Homer F. Rush, Jr. passed away on Dec. 15, 2007.
Mr. Rush was born on Oct. 17, 1941, in Portsmouth, Va., and was a valedictorian graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. He also graduated from NASA's Langley Research Center Engineering Technical School. He had a lifelong passion for engineering, whether it be rebuilding his 1940 Chevrolet Coupe or working on designs for the space shuttle. He retired from NASA as an aerospace engineer in December of 2004, after 40 years of government service. During his 39 year tenure at NASA he received numerous awards and recognitions. Some of his Awards include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Space Flight Awareness Honoree Award and a nomination for the prestigious National Space Award. He was considered by his colleagues at NASA to be a renowned expert in the field of aerospace and mechanical engineering. One of his contributions to NASA that he was most proud of was working on the design for the Space Shuttle escape hatch after the Challenger explosion. In addition to his exceptional career achievements, he served his community as a Little League baseball coach, Pop Warner football weigh master, and a Judge for numerous Tidewater Regional Science Fairs and Peninsula Odyssey of the Mind Competitions.+ Return to News Briefs
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