Washington Town Remembers Columbia Astronaut
By JOHN K. WILEY
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Columbia shuttle crew member Michael Anderson was a man solidly grounded on Earth, even as he reached for the stars, Gov. Gary Locke said Tuesday at a memorial service for the astronaut.
The Democratic governor was joined by NASA astronauts Bonnie Dunbar and Steve Robinson and military, civil and religious leaders in honoring the astronaut who died with six others Feb. 1 aboard the Columbia.
A church choir sang the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Going Up Yonder” as Baptist ministers who knew Anderson as a youth praised him as a man of strong faith who loved his family.
The Washington native and Air Force lieutenant colonel was buried last week at Arlington National Cemetery.
On Tuesday, speakers recalled his love of education, particularly science, during the tribute.
“The sun has set on his life, but his everlasting legacy blazes on,” Locke said.
Locke reminded the audience that there were no black astronauts when Anderson was growing up. Anderson became one of NASA’s first black astronauts in 1995.
Dunbar, a crewmate of Anderson’s on the 1998 Endeavor shuttle mission, said Anderson “was a role model for people who have big dreams.”
Robinson said he would frequently remind himself: “I need to be more like that guy.”
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