Nicholas "Nick" Lance Jr.

Nick Lance was born in Brooklyn, NY on Dec 13, 1949 to Evelyn and Nicholas Lance, but considered Middlesex, NJ his hometown. He received his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1973 and his master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston in 1979. He began his career at the NASA Johnson Space Center in 1968 as a co-op student and retired in August 2009 after 41 years of service to NASA.

Ham radio was a big part of Nick's life. He taught Ham radio classes at the Clear Creek Independent School District for over 15 years where he helped 30-40 students per year get their amateur licenses and was awarded the CCISD Secondary Volunteer of the Year Award in 2011. Nick was on the ARISS team, which organizes the ham radio contacts with the astronauts on the International Space Station. He was very proud of his role in preparing the astronauts to pass their amateur radio license exam. In 2003 the Amateur Radio Relay League named Nick the Professional Educator of the Year.

The sport of horseshoe pitching was always a passion of Nick's. He won the New Jersey State Jr Championship in 1966 and became a member of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association after resuming the sport 35 years later. He won three consecutive gold medals in the 2009, 2011, and 2013 Senior Olympic Games as well as the Texas State Horseshoe Championship in 2013.

Nick went to be with his Lord while surrounded by friends and family on May 24, 2015, after experiencing complications from an aortic aneurysm. Nick is predeceased by his father Nicholas Lance. He is survived by his wife Renee Lance, his children Erica Lance White and Nick D. Lance, his mother Evelyn Lance, his sister Lorice Wiczewski, and his brother John Lance.

A celebration of Nick's life will be held June 14, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the Gilruth Center, Space Center Blvd, Houston, TX.

The Nick Lance Memorial Scholarship fund has been established through the JSC Chapter of the NASA Alumni League. Anyone wishing to donate may do so by sending a check payable to "NAL Nick Lance Scholarship Fund", c/o Estella Gillette, 3739 W. Pine Brook Way, Houston, TX 77059.