Discovering a Legacy

Stephen P. Huzar’s involvement with Space Center Houston began with a deep dive into his family’s legacy. As the son of native Houstonian, Patricia Lynn Tamborello, and Apollo-era NASA engineer, Steve Huzar, Stephen has firm roots in the local space community. He’s been a Space Center Houston volunteer since 2019, sharing his passion with visitors and recently supporting our bright future with a planned gift honoring his father’s history with NASA Johnson Space Center (NASA-JSC).    

In 1961, Stephen’s father moved from Hampton, Virginia, with NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center in order to establish Houston as “Space City” and the home of human spaceflight. He worked on lunar trajectories until 1963 and then spent five years studying vibration and acoustics, primarily on the Lunar Module. He was unable to pass his knowledge on to Stephen, however, as he unfortunately passed away when his son was very young.   

Growing up, Stephen heard proud stories from family members about the contributions his father made to the Apollo program. When Stephen got older and his mother had passed away as well, he began to research his father’s time at NASA. He found an incredible trove of material and people who had worked closely with him, like Building 49 colleagues Estella and Pete Gillette, and Julie Kramer-White, a present-day leader at NASA-JSC. With help from them and the larger NASA Alumni League – JSC Chapter, Stephen learned about the “NASA Family” and its bonds that have lasted since the days of Apollo. This history and ongoing camaraderie ultimately stoked his passion to volunteer at Space Center Houston.   

An accountant by profession, Stephen is an avid enthusiast for the history of spaceflight, especially with regards to his father’s work. On weekends he can often be found in the SCH Starship Gallery engaging visitors with stories about the Lunar Module his father helped test and send to the Moon. Or by Saturn V in Rocket Park, Stephen revels in telling guests about the trajectories that his father helped pioneer. This volunteer work has become very meaningful to him, and Stephen now considers Space Center Houston part of his “family” as well.    

Inspired by the fellowship of the space community, Stephen decided to leave a legacy gift to Space Center Houston to honor his father and ensure that space history would be preserved. In his will, Stephen has left a portion of his estate to a charitable remainder unitrust that will support his family members until their passing and then leave the remainder to his named charities—including Space Center Houston, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  

His gift will further Space Center Houston’s mission by immersing visitors in the early days of space exploration and archiving information from other members of the “NASA family,” honoring those who made human spaceflight possible.    

In January 2024, Stephen himself was honored with Space Center Houston’s Exceptional Volunteer Award, a tribute to his can-do spirit and enthusiasm for engaging visitors. “To be honest, I was surprised,” Stephen says of receiving the award. “I’m only spending time talking about my passion. I get so much more out of my time at Space Center Houston than I feel I have to give, especially when I see a guest’s face light up.”   

Stephen is grateful to all those who helped him learn about his father’s work with the Apollo program. “I was stunned to find the ‘NASA family,’” he says. “They brought my dad’s role to life in vivid colors. Preserving the history of NASA-JSC is vitally important to Houston, and to me.”   

Stephen encourages others who have had family or close friends at NASA to come explore their history with Space Center Houston and leave a legacy gift that helps preserve and chronicle the story of human spaceflight. These important gifts provide for the collection and care of NASA artifacts, as well as the stories of NASA pioneers—be they astronauts, accountants, or engineers like Stephen’s father.  

To learn more about leaving your legacy at Space Center Houston and the many programs that could benefit from such a gift, please contact Amelia Ribnick Kleiman, Director of Major Gifts at [email protected] or by phone at 281-244-2119.