CANAVERAL

In Fla., residents feel loss of friends

By Broward Liston, Reuters, 2/3/2003

APE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the tiny towns that dot Florida's Cape Canaveral, the mourning began in earnest yesterday.

Although astronauts launch from Florida, they live and train in Houston. At home they may live ordinary lives in a major city, but in small towns like Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral, they and their families are treated like visiting royalty. So many people considered Rick D. Husband a friend, that there was no way he could see many of them during his short trips into Florida.

Before Columbia was launched Jan. 16, he had a reception at a local church, Calvary Chapel, for about 350 guests, people he wanted to stay in touch with, though he could not see them individually.

Yesterday morning, worshipers at Calvary Chapel remembered their friend. ''This is a difficult time for us, too,'' said the Rev. Tom Hobbs.

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''We remember what it was like after Challenger. People need to mourn,'' said the Rev. Ken Babington of First Baptist Church in Cocoa Beach.

Bars were doing good business, too. The talk at local establishments like the Moon Hut and the Tiki Hut was a mingling of past and future. Some remembered the crew, some mourned for Columbia itself.

''Columbia was a cantankerous beast. It was a devil to work on, but it served for 22 years. You can't ask for much more,'' said Duncan Weld, a retired NASA engineer.

''Columbia has always been the hardest shuttle to get off the ground, but once it was in space, it flew beautifully.''

This story ran on page A7 of the Boston Globe on 2/3/2003.
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