Richard Edward Giusti, 66, of Friendswood

He was born on July 15, 1958, to Millie Kesel Giusti and Benedict Paul Giusti in Galveston, Texas. Rick attended college at Rice University and the University of Houston, where he received a BS degree in Electrical Engineering. He worked for 34 years (1983-2017) as an engineer and programmer contracted to NASA, where he met Kathleen Poe, whom he married in 2004. 

He worked at Johnson Space Center's Building 5 flight training facility where he created and refined the computer models used to train astronauts and flight controllers for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station programs. Rick’s career was marked by admiration and respect from his coworkers and recognition for excellence by the astronauts, as he was awarded the Silver Snoopy Award by the Astronaut Office for outstanding achievement related to flight success. 

Rick had 36 nieces and nephews. He was a fun uncle, who tossed them in the air when they were small and became a friend and role model as they grew older. Reading was a passion for Rick, and he loved science fiction, fantasy and medieval history. He was an ardent fan of the Renaissance Festival, and he attended the local RenFest multiple times each year dressed in his best armor, which included chain mail he crafted himself. At the time of his death him and his wife Kathy were preparing to move to Dubois.