 Shirley Hunt Hinson LOUISBURG, NC--Shirley Hunt Hinson, 86, of Louisburg, passed away Thursday, April 13, 2023.
She was born in Franklin County, the daughter of the late Mark Henry Hunt and Bessie Denton Hunt. Shirley enrolled at East Carolina University in 1955 and completed a stellar career by earning a Master's Degree in Mathematics. The technical heart of her studies was the math courses that she took under Dr. John O. Reynolds. She completed all of his courses that she was eligible for. With that strong foundation, Shirley joined NASA in 1959--a scant few months after it was formed from the NACA. She began work on the Mercury Project which put the first Americans into space. She continued work at NASA on all the major manned space projects from Gemini through Apollo which landed the first humans on the moon and brought them safely home. For several years after that she continued to do excellent work on the Skylab Project, the Space Shuttle, and other projects. Shirley made significant personal contributions to the American space program and was well recognized for her efforts.
After Shirley and her husband, Kirby, retired from NASA, they enjoyed travel to national model airplane contests, which included interesting vacation side trips on the way home--all planned by Shirley. She always enjoyed fishing, any type of working outside, and giving of her time and treasures.
A graveside funeral service was held at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, April 16, 2023 at New Hope Christian Church Cemetery, 2779 NC 98 Hwy West, Louisburg, NC 27549.
Mrs. Hinson is survived by her husband, Kirby Hinson; by three nieces, Debbie Batts, Shay Dwyer, and Marbeth Holmes; and by many great nieces and nephews and their children. She was preceded in death by three sisters, Elsie Gray Pernell, Josephine Ida Driver, and Mary Charles Holmes.
Friends and family gathered at the home of William Patterson and Cassie Wright, 811 Alford Mill Road, Bunn, NC following the graveside service.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811) www.brightfunerals.com.
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