JOHN "JOE" NIEBERDING

Great memories of my Uncle Joe will never be forgotten. I was lucky to have him around as much as I did

I had the honor of attending one of his Mission Success First classes and it was so enlightening to meet someone so real and approachable and experienced, yet humble and open.

Joe was a dedicated spaceflight professional with a true passion and talent for conveying the lessons of the past to enable success today and in the future. I’m very glad I had the chance to know him and experience all of his delightful qualities and his encyclopedic knowledge. I was also touched by his happiness with Judi, when I had a chance to meet her. Godspeed, Joe.

I knew Joe for 40 years, first as my NASA supervisor, then as a great friend and inspiration. He had a rare combination -- great technically, great as a manager of people, a great sense of humor, and a great heart and caring for everyone around him. I miss him dearly and feel fortunate that I had so many years in his company. His spirit lives on in those he blessed.

Very sorry to hear of Joe's passing. He was an extraordinary leader, engineer and individual. I knew him during my time at GRC and also made sure to bring him in to help the companies developing cargo services to the ISS by teaching his class on mission success. Truly a remarkable individual.

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Joe on a number of activities over the twenty year period in which we were both at NASA. Joe's intelligence, insights, inspiration, passion, and great sense of humor always made for a great experience. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, he was a great mentor. I will miss him.

Farewell to a great man who lived well and was part of US space leadership.