Commun ty Matters Rolla Presbyterian Manor
Chaplain’s message: June is the time to reflect on fatherhood By Allen Teal, Rolla Presbyterian Manor chaplain
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Genesis 4:1 (KJV) June is the month for dads. It’s time for backyard barbecue, lawn mowing, and a host of other outdoor activities frequently associated with dads. During June, fathers get their own special day. At least one day per year, we are challenged to honor our paternal parent. A man becomes a father Genesis chapter four starts out with a simple verse describing the creation of the first father. Adam and Eve had a son. The first man immediately became the first Dad. What a great moment in the history of humanity! FATHERHOOD, continued on page 2
June 2016
Richard Williams reminisces about time at NASA When Joy Parker watched the SpaceX rocket land safely on a barge at sea, all she could think was, “I’ve got to show this to Richard.” Richard Williams, a resident of Rolla Presbyterian Manor, is more than your average space buff. In the 1980s, Richard worked as a contractor on the space shuttle program at Johnson Space Center in Houston. On April 8, SpaceX successfully landed a rocket stage from its Dragon capsule on an unmanned barge in the ocean. The private firm is developing reusable rockets in its efforts to make space travel more affordable. After separating from the launch rocket, the capsule continued on to the International Space Station to deliver supplies. “He thought it was neat how it separated and landed on that barge,” said Joy, director of activities for Presbyterian Manor. She brought a computer to Rich to show him the video. Rich, a mechanical engineer who specialized in hydraulics, worked for a NASA contractor in the 1980s. He was assigned to work on a mockup of the shuttle’s robotic “arm,” aka the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS), which were used to deploy, maneuver and capture payloads. Rich’s wife, Alberta, said they were grateful to have had the access to the WILLIAMS, continued on page 3