Norman C Buchert

He graduated from Port St. Joe High School, Port St. Joe, Florida;

and from the University of Florida with a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering.

His career began at Kennedy Space Center on January 27, 1967 with

North American Aviation (NAA) as an RF and Telemetry Engineer working

on the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicle second stage. He then worked on the

Saturn V moon launches including the Apollo 11 launch to the moon (and back)

and worked in the Saturn V Launch Control Center firing room at the RF and

Telemetry console. He later transferred to the Apollo Command and Service Module

(CSM) organization to work on the experiments that the CSM carried to the moon

and the Lunar Sounder experiment searching for water on the moon.

Their first daughter, Genelle, was born shortly after man's first walk on the moon.

Twenty-two months later their second daughter, Charisse, was born.

In 1972, he began work as a Space Shuttle design integration engineer in

Downey, California for NAA. In 1975, their third daughter, Felicia, was born.

That same year he transferred back to KSC to help design, manufacture and

install the Orbiter Processing Facility Communications and Tracking checkout

station. In 1984, they welcomed their youngest daughter, April. Promoted

to Supervisor of the NAA Communications and Tracking group, he supervised

the checkout of the first Shuttle launch Orbiter Communications and

Navaids Systems eventually becoming the Director of Advanced

Programs and Business Development for Rockwell (formerly NAA) at KSC.

After Boeing purchased the Space Division portion of Rockwell in 1996,

Norman became the Director of Advanced Engineering for the Space

Shuttle Program finishing his career in this capacity.

Norman received many awards and recognitions including

the Astronaut Snoopy award for his work on the Apollo Program presented

by Apollo astronaut, Hank Hartsfield.

Norman worked for Boeing for over 44 years; was an avid University of

Florida Gator sports fan; enjoyed talking about his experiences in the

space program as a KSC docent; was active in his church; was a

doting grandfather, and devoted owner of his prized mutt, Mars Rover.

He is survived by Carol, his wife of 47 years, daughters, Genelle Buchert,

Charisse Buchert, Felicia Kai (Sam) and April Walters (Cameron); brother

Jerry Buchert (Laurie), sisters, Margie Vogt (Jim) and Carole Pille (Skip),

half sister Chris Haley (Pat) and step sister Marlene Guerrieri (Bruno);

beloved grandchildren Annabella Kai, Graciella Kai and Serenity Kai

(with a fourth grandchild in progress) and many nieces and nephews.

Norman was welcomed into Heaven on May 9, 2015, after a brave and

courageous battle with cancer. He was preceded in death by his father

Robert Valentine Buchert and mothers, Erline Buchert and Norma Riester Boehl.

He will be in our hearts always.

Services will be at First Baptist Church of Merritt Island Chapel

at Noon on Saturday, May 16. He will be laid to rest on Monday, May 18

at the Alaqua United Methodist Church cemetery, Defuniak Springs, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Port St. Joe

High School Norman C. Buchert Engineering and Math Scholarship Fund.

Mailing address: “Port St. Joe High School Norman C. Buchert Engineering

and Math Scholarship Fund” ATTN: Sissy Worley, 150 Middleschool Road,

Port St. Joe, FL 32456