Astronaut's widow finds silver lining in life

To many, June Scobee Rodgers is known as the widow of Dick Scobee, the commander of Space Shuttle Challenger 7 that exploded at launch in January 1986.

But she's also a Texas A&M doctoral graduate in education, a teacher, a mother of two, a grandmother of nine and an author.

Rodgers was at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History Monday to sign copies of her book, Silver Linings: My Life Before and After Challenger 7.

Since her husband died 25 years ago, Rodgers has found peace in helping create a exploratory space program for kids through the 48 Challenger Centers that have been established across the world.

Rodgers said Scobee always was about the mission -- whatever it may have been at the time -- so instead of building memorials or statues to remember how he died, she wanted to build something that would honor the way he lived.

Discovering the silver linings in tragedies was a lesson Rodgers said she had to learn at a very young age when she was "embarrassed of my childhood."

It took her a long time to admit, but her mother was mentally ill and often would leave her father, taking Rodgers and her brothers with her. The lack of stability sometimes led to homelessness, she said, recalling how they sometimes used bus stations to sleep.

Changing schools was one of the only constants in her life, she said, adding that she attended eight different schools in the second grade alone. When her peers learned she wanted to be a teacher, they told her she'd never amount to anything.

At the age of 9, her mother was given The Power of Positive Thinking, a book Rodgers credits for changing her attitude toward life.

From her reading it, she realized the power of accepting her situation, believing in herself and in something larger, and the courage in committing -- what Rodgers calls the A,B, C formula for life.

Seven years later, as a senior in high school in San Antonio, she met Scobee at a church function. The two became fast friends and were married after she graduated

Scobee -- who joined the Air Force as a teenager -- had told her from day one his dream was to be a pilot.

Before being chosen as commander of Challenger 7, he served as a combat pilot in Vietnam and flew for a variety of test programs.

His experience with NASA started in 1978 when he was selected as an astronaut candidate. After a year of training and a few of waiting, he was chosen for a satellite repair mission in 1984.

It wasn't long after his return that Scobee accepted his new role as commander of Challenger 7.

The months leading up to the 1986 launch date were exciting and joyful, Rodgers said. She met with all the families, and formed a special relationship with Christa McAuliffe, the teacher aboard Challenger 7.

On the day of the launch, all the families of those leaving for space gathered in the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"It was grand and marvelous until a few seconds into the launch," she said.

As she watched her husband's spacecraft explode into millions of pieces, time froze and numbness took over, Rodgers remembered.

Despite the accident, Rodgers -- who since married a retired Army general and lives in Chattanooga, Tenn.-- continues to be an advocate of space exploration.