posted 08-31-2014 10:16 AM               

As the pilot of D-1 and commander of D-2, Steve was a role model for the still very much unusual at that time international cooperation. Particularly as regards to the German-American partnership.

My thoughts are on the one hand very sad, and on the other hand, I am very glad that I had this long and deep friendship with Steve. A lot of different great memories came to my mind during our official and private meetings we have had in more than 20 years. Whether in Houston, Cape Canaveral, Germany or the last time in Columbia. Especially the 25th anniversary of STS-61A/Spacelab D-1 we celebrated for eight days in various locations in Germany in October 2010 he and his family enjoyed it very much. I will never forget that great weekend I spent with Steve and his family in March this year.

Steve was one of the very few people to which I had such a long and deep friendship. He was one of the greatest personalities I have ever met! Our friendship started with the German Spacelab D-2 (STS-55) mission back in 1993. I'm going to keep him always in good memory and in my exhibition, Europe's biggest exhibition for manned space flight "Apollo and Beyond" at the Technik Museum Speyer in Germany. He will always have a worthy place there and remembered by me.

Steve, I will miss you very much, my dear friend.

Gerhard and Steve, Johnson Space Center, June 1995

Gerhard, Steve and Hank, STS-61A anniversary, October 2010

Gerhard and Steve, Columbia, March 2014

posted 09-24-2014 10:11 PM               

Park District Executive Director Jon Johnson said that Nagel's family will host an open house-style drop-in event from 1-4 p.m., with a brief program to take place at 2 p.m.

The Ingersoll Airport is where a young Nagel learned how to fly, Johnson said, though he said he has been told that Nagel actually first took flight at the old Canton airport site where the Steve Nagel Playground now resides in Lakeland Park. Nagel also regularly participated in the annual Fly-In event at the airport.

Johnson said the family would also like to plant a memorial tree, though he is not sure if that will be planted at the airport or near the playground named after Nagel.

posted 11-01-2014 03:05 PM               

I attended the memorial service for Colonel Nagel in Canton on October 5th. It was a very nice fitting tribute to Steve.

There was a banner in the hangar with his name on it along with 100th American in Space along with his space missions. His wife, Linda, and their daughters Lauren and Whitney were also there along with some other members of the Nagel Family.

There was a fly over by a C-130 Hercules and some of Steve's classmates from high school talked about Steve and the beginning of his aviation career. A very fitting tribute to a wonderful man.