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View Full Version : Sally Ride dead at 61



fryingdutchman
07-24-2012, 06:34 AM
Surprised this wasn't already posted. If it was and is a dupe, please merge or dump


(CNN) -- Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, died Monday after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, her company said. She was 61.

"Sally lived her life to the fullest, with boundless energy, curiosity, intelligence, passion, commitment and love. Her integrity was absolute; her spirit was immeasurable; her approach to life was fearless," read a statement on the website of Sally Ride Science, a company she started to help teach students -- particularly young women and girls -- about science, math and technology.

Ride flew into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983 to become America's first woman in space. She took a second trip aboard the same shuttle one year later.

The first woman in space was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who orbited the Earth 48 times in 1963.

1983: Reagan honors Ride & astronauts "As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model," President Barack Obama said soon after news of her death broke. "She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars and later fought tirelessly to help them get there by advocating for a greater focus on science and math in our schools. Sally's life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve, and I have no doubt that her legacy will endure for years to come."


A Los Angeles native, Ride attended Stanford University, where she earned four degrees, including a doctorate in physics, according to NASA. She joined the agency as part of the class of 1978, the first to include women. Ride responded to an ad in the Stanford student newspaper and was selected from some 8,000 applicants.

She was assigned to a third flight, but that was scratched after the Challenger exploded shortly after lift-off in 1986, claiming the lives of seven crew members on board. Ride helped investigate that accident and later that of Space Shuttle Columbia, becoming the only person to serve on the commissions investigating both accidents. In 2003, the Columbia disintegrated during re-entry into the atmosphere, killing all seven crew members.

She served as a special assistant to the NASA administrator for long-range and strategic planning and was the first director of NASA's Office of Exploration, according to her company.

After leaving the agency, Ride joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego, where she was a professor of physics and director of the California Space Institute. She was also the author of several books.

During a 2008 interview with CNN, Ride recalled what it felt like to look back on Earth, saying the view gave her a new perspective.

"You can't get it just standing on the ground, with your feet firmly planted on Earth. You can only get it from space, and it's just remarkable how beautiful our planet is and how fragile it looks," she said.

Ride is survived by her partner of 27 years, Tam O'Shaughnessy, her mother, her sister and other family members.

"Sally Ride broke barriers with grace and professionalism -- and literally changed the face of America's space program," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "The nation has lost one of its finest leaders, teachers and explorers. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sally's family and the many she inspired. She will be missed, but her star will always shine brightly."

Seshmeister
07-24-2012, 11:26 AM
I wish someone would come up with a good treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Mustang Sally has to be a no-brainer for the funeral.

jhale667
07-24-2012, 11:36 AM
She was a pioneer... R.I.P. :(

clarathecarrot
07-24-2012, 11:43 AM
They also made it very clear for some reason in thier statement to the press about her live-in lover a woman and then a confirmation of that statement by Ride's sister...?

Insurance and death benifit claims...family working to keep her money out of probate...WTF..?

She was a awesome woman... and I hope I am wrong about the above.

RIP and thank you for your service to this country.

Angel
07-24-2012, 12:00 PM
They also made it very clear for some reason in thier statement to the press about her live-in lover a woman and then a confirmation of that statement by Ride's sister...?

Insurance and death benifit claims...family working to keep her money out of probate...WTF..?

She was a awesome woman... and I hope I am wrong about the above.

RIP and thank you for your service to this country.

Her partner of 27 years is not eligible for benefits...

clarathecarrot
07-24-2012, 12:06 PM
I worded that wrong... it looks like I said that, but i just meant when family members pass thier affairs should be in order if possible or the state will grab it all.

Seemed kinda like a private matter that was bieng authenticated in a press statement for some strange purpose...you can call me a douche if you want.


And watching a family fight over it is awfull.

More than likely we will in the line at the super market check out.

Seshmeister
07-24-2012, 12:36 PM
Her partner of 27 years is not eligible for benefits...

Apparently if she was it would undermine the marriages of millions of invisible sky daddy people...

Nickdfresh
07-24-2012, 01:42 PM
Yeah, who wants the validity of their ambiguously open marriage called into question with all the gays wantin to get hitched....

jhale667
07-24-2012, 01:56 PM
Her partner of 27 years is not eligible for benefits...

Completely fucked up. They've been together longer than most "traditional" marriages last....that's utter bullshit.

clarathecarrot
07-24-2012, 02:00 PM
No shit ....if they were fucking married they would have been divorced long ago.

Do we need to do this in here my bad up above send this shit to the dump and start over......

Nitro Express
07-24-2012, 02:13 PM
I worded that wrong... it looks like I said that, but i just meant when family members pass thier affairs should be in order if possible or the state will grab it all.

Seemed kinda like a private matter that was bieng authenticated in a press statement for some strange purpose...you can call me a douche if you want.


And watching a family fight over it is awfull.

More than likely we will in the line at the super market check out.

Yup. Dealing with the state in a probate case is a nightmare and it goes on for years. Also make sure someone knows where the will is at. The state will always put blood family first over a live in lover. Money does funny things to people. I've seen people change for the worst when their parents or a wealthy sister or brother with no dependants die and they want the money. I've seen it tear families apart.

clarathecarrot
07-24-2012, 02:24 PM
Yup. Dealing with the state in a probate case is a nightmare and it goes on for years. Also make sure someone knows where the will is at. The state will always put blood family first over a live in lover. Money does funny things to people. I've seen people change for the worst when their parents or a wealthy sister or brother with no dependants die and they want the money. I've seen it tear families apart.


I just couldn't figure out that lesbian authentication statement being thrown in with the death anouncement to the press then the confirmation by some other family member ..?

Nitro Express
07-24-2012, 02:30 PM
I have no idea. It's none of our business. They should have just kept to the story of a space pioneer passing away. I remember when she went up on the shuttle. I bet she was a great physics teacher.

clarathecarrot
07-24-2012, 03:09 PM
She was cool.

FORD
07-24-2012, 10:10 PM
I honestly had no idea she was a Lesbian until today. Scientist....astronaut....teacher....don't think her sexual orientation was ever mentioned in any article I read.

And it's really only significant now in the context of her family trying to fuck over her partner, which is complete bullshit.

27 years together.... that's a marriage. And if the state doesn't recognize it as such, then it's the state who has the fucking problem.

clarathecarrot
07-24-2012, 10:26 PM
I am almost possitive lesbians can leave anything they want to anyone they want in a Will etc..

So, the issue must be, that a married partner can recieve SSN and additional Military retirement benifits from the deceased...those do not transfer to family, they only go to spouse (widow) or possibly children, though the child would have to be declared permenantly dissabled to qualify for the parents SSN and Military .

The family is probably contesting the Will. I don't think they can get any government bennies, they die with the person.

She wasn't married and had no kids..?

Angel
07-25-2012, 01:09 AM
You're right Clara, her partner cannot collect death benefits. I didn't know about probate. Sad if the family's trying to screw her partner.