Billie Schmidt worked for NASA for more than 20 years and keeps memorabilia from her years working as assistant to the director of NASA in her home at Buckner Parkway Place.


crew and the NASA leadership on the ground scrambled quickly to bring the astronauts safely back to Earth. “We lucked out that time,” she said. “We were very, very fortunate that those three guys could get into that little-bitty LEM and make their way back to Earth. It was a miracle. There’s no doubt about it being a miracle, and there was a lot of praying going on, I’ll tell you, organized and unorganized.” Still as enthusiastic, energetic and independent as ever, Schmidt now calls Buckner Parkway Place home. Her memorabilia dot her residence, regular reminders of all that she played a part in accomplishing. In many ways, she’s found the same familial feel at Parkway Place as she did with the staff at NASA.


“I have not met one soul who is not just friendly as anything, would do anything in the world they could for you,” she said. “The staff is magnificent and talented. I mean they put on little plays and skits; they decorate; they celebrate. It’s wonderful; it really is. And you feel like, OK, if I’ve got a problem I can go to one of them and say, ‘I’ve got a problem; can you help me?’” n


SPRING 2015 ISSUE • Buckner Today 39


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44