Hours after space shuttle Columbia disintegrated in the air Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts onboard, Roger L. Springborn was on a plane headed for Texas. Once there he became part of a massive recovery mission, collecting thousands of pieces of shuttle debris that had fallen to Earth.
“It wasn’t something he talked about a lot, but we all knew it had a real effect on him,” said his sister-in-law, Gail Springborn. “Even though he was trained to handle stressful situations, that experience was something he never forgot.”
Mr. Springborn, 47, of Orlando, formerly of Naperville, a security police officer at Cape Canaveral and retired military police officer, died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday, July 28, while walking near his home.
Born in Aurora, Mr. Springborn grew up in a family of 10 children in Naperville, where he graduated from Naperville Central High School in 1974. Before enlisting in the military in 1976, he worked for the Naperville Township Highway Department, helping to build roads and operating snow-removal equipment.
“After graduating high school and working a couple years, he still wasn’t certain what direction he wanted to take,” his sister-in-law said. “He looked around and decided the military was his best option.”
Mr. Springborn spent most of his adult life in the military, serving in the Army with the military police for much of that time, stationed in Germany. It was there he met his wife of 26 years, Karin, a German citizen.
“He loved Germany, especially being in the military there,” his sister-in-law said. “He had no problem adapting to the culture and gained a reputation as being a good mediator, on and off base.”
After retiring from the military in 1997, Mr. Springborn took a job as a security police officer at Cape Canaveral. His duties and work hours intensified after the Columbia disaster and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, family members said.
Other survivors include two daughters, Jennifer and Jessica; his mother, Sheila; five brothers, Jerry, Tom, Howard, Jon and Bob; four sisters, Connie, Cathy Murr, Kay Drafke and Carol Mersman; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday in Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville. Services will follow.
