After high school I spent the next four years at Texas Tech in the ROTC program and earned a B.S. degree in Mathematics and a Distinguished Military Graduate award. Upon my graduation in 1961 I was then commissioned in the regular US Army infantry.

The next two years I spent time in the Frankfort area of West Germany, after having received Ranger and Airborne tabs earlier at Fort Benning, Ga. After special training in Nuclear Weapons Employment, Chemical, and Radiological warfare I was reassigned to the Chemical Corps.

In 1964 I resigned my commission and was hired by NASA JSC in Houston, Texas. I was with NASA for 27 years until my retirement (from NASA) in 1989.

After hiring on at NASA in 1965, I married Bess Harrison from Texas City. We had 2 girls Kelly and Kenzie) who have been the delight of my life all of these years. My marriage to Bess ended in divorce in 1980. I married Faye Broussard from Texas City in 1983 but was widowed in 1995 when she died of a brain tumor. I’ve been single every since.

A major highlight of my NASA career was leading the flight design team that designed Apollo 9, the first earth orbit Apollo rendezvous mission. Afterwards, I received a fellowship to the University of Houston where I finished my Masters in Math. Another NASA highlight occurred near the end of my NASA career when I spent 2 years in Washington, D.C. as Manager for the Mars Rover Sample Return Mission and as Manager for Advanced Lunar Missions.

Upon my retirement from NASA in 1989, I joined the Space Shuttle contractor Rockwell Int’l, at JSC (now United Space Alliance) and worked in Flight Design and Dynamics until my “real honest-to goodness” retirement 12 years later in 2001.

I now travel, visit Las Vegas from time-to-time to revisit my investments, and I do a lot of ocean cruising. I live with my Chihuahua puppy (Honey) and a worn-out old tom-cat (Gizmo) in Webster, Texas next to the JSC. I have lived in the same house for 25 years, so I do a lot of remodeling. I garden and grow the biggest and best tomatoes and okra in the county. I am a Christian and am very much a conservative politically. I have generally good health, two exceptional daughters -who now live in the San Antonio/Kerrville area. I have no grandchildren yet; but I have a loving, wonderful extended family (my brother Mike and his family who live in the Allen area, a city on the very north side of Dallas).

I’m looking forward to our reunion, for I remember my high school adventure fondly. My classmates helped shape my concept for decency, honesty, and fairness - models that have served me well in these 50 years since graduation.

Until reunion time

Harold (Bill) Conway