My world was hand-me-downs and trying to keep pace with my older brother and sisters.Īs “Dad,” not NASA’s “Gene Kranz,” he always was painstakingly organized, operated from a checklist for even simple “honey-dos,” embarrassed us kids with the way he dressed and was always a “play by the rules” kind of man. Now, 23 years after that internship, NASA has been a significant part of my career, and the lessons of Dad’s leadership are applied daily.Īs I was growing up, all I knew was that dad worked for NASA, mom stayed home, I had five siblings, all older than me, four of them girls, and new clothes were a scarce commodity. It was not until I joined the space program as a summer intern in 1984 that I really understood my father’s role in the space program or NASA’s importance to our nation. In this essay, Jeannie writes about learning to strive for excellence from a NASA hero she knows best as “Dad.” Among them is his daughter Jeannie, and several of her siblings. While legendary NASA Flight Controller Gene Kranz is best known for his coolness under fire in successfully directing our nation’s moon landings, a significant part of his legacy is the people inspired by his example to join the space program.
His wife, Marta, is seated beside him and his children, standing from left to right, are Jeannie and siblings Lucy, Brigid, Carmen, Joan and Mark. He took the torch: leadership lessons from my father – Gene Kranzįather does know best - Gene Kranz, famed NASA flight controller, with his family. The following articles and interview celebrate the legacy of three icons of NASA history and the daughters and sons who followed in their footsteps.
The NASA heritage now spans over generations.