Not many folks know people who build and launch rockets, but our family has that honor. At my father-in-law’s funeral, next-door neighbor John Currens volunteered to put a copy of the funeral program in the nose cone of a rocket he planned to launch. I was honored that he named the rocket Miss Gail. At the reception, everyone signed the program with best wishes for Godspeed, Norm Bleicher.
The program actually got two rocket rides – the first on Miss Gail at 1,300 mph up over 3,500 feet, but the rocket caught a wind gust and was destroyed. The second launch was on Amazing Grace Soaring Spirit, a larger and heavier rocket that went up over 7,000 feet at over 500 mph.
John returned the program with a note that read, “The card had quite the adventure and is in remarkable shape considering two launches which happened to include free fall and crash from 3,500 feet. So now I return it to you with warm thoughts so it can be retired to a much easier life.”
The well-traveled card now rests in a place of honor among other items we hold dear in remembrance of my father-in-law.