Robert Terry Neal of Spicewood, Texas passed away May 19, 2015, at the age of 72. He was born in Chehalis, Washington and raised in Pe Ell, Washington and obtained a degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the University of Washington in 1965. Robert worked for NASA, where he held various mission operations positions including flight lead, project lead and management at the section, branch and division levels for all manned programs from Apollo 7 through mid 2005. From 1969 through 1972, he was assigned to temporary duty at the then Kennedy Space Center supporting Apollo missions 11-17 in the areas of flight crew integration, vehicle and crew equipment test and checkout and astronaut training. His specific areas of operational expertise included Apollo, Shuttle and space station EVA (spacewalk) systems, the flight crew equipment in those programs (including the lunar module IVA and EVA equipment) and lunar surface operations. He served as the lead EVA operations flight controller for the first Shuttle spacewalk, the first Manned Maneuvering Unit flight and the first satellite repair mission from the Shuttle. He was instrumental in defining and conducting the International Space Station (ISS) assembly concepts and associated operations. He managed the combining of the Shuttle spacewalk and robotics operational areas into a single functional unit. Terry was primarily responsible for the justification, procurement and initial facility management for the Johnson Space Center Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. This facility has served as the primary spacewalk training facility in the International Space Station and Shuttle programs.
Terry is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter and son-in-law, Brianne and Mohan Poole of Spicewood, Texas; son and daughter-in-law, Derek and Lauren Neal of League City, Texas; grandchildren, Mila Poole, Madison Poole, Anderson Neal and Aubrey Neal; brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Joan Neal of PeEll, Washington, sister and brother-in-law, Dixie and Dan Beesley of Toledo, Washington; nieces and nephews.
Terry was preceded in death by his father, John C. Neal; and mother, Imogene Neal.
Memorial services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2015, in the Colonial Chapel of Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Heart Association or a charity of your choice.
