Brian Lee Tanner (1964 - 2021)

Born 29 Feb 1964 in Coldwater, Branch, Michigan, United States

Ancestors

Died 24 Oct 2021 at age 57 in Greeneville, Greene, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Brian was born in 1964. He passed away in 2021.

Brian Lee Tanner, 57, of Bringhurst, Ind., passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, Oct. 24, 2021, at Greeneville Community Hospital East, Greeneville, Tenn.

He was born on Feb. 29, 1964, to Donald “Bud” and (living person) Hoot of Coldwater, Mich. On Nov 10, 2018, in Flora, he married (living person), formerly of Greeneville; she survives.

A graduate of the University of Michigan and George Mason University, Brian was president of Spaceport Indiana and was a civilian astronaut and a former F-14 test pilot. He had been involved in the commercial space program since 2008. He served on the first Spaceports Council under the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and built the Spaceport Indiana program which held INSpace Camps, Space Labs, Rocket Science, Intro to Robotics, Drone Schools, UAV Pilot Certification Classes, and Mars Exploration Challenges for children and adults. He developed the Spaceport outreach program for education and had become the largest STEAM provider in Indiana. He created many platforms to serve national interest regarding post disaster assessment, communications links for military environments using HALO technologies, and launch systems. He had the opportunity to test and assist with the engineering of a space suit for high altitude use and completed three high altitude test jumps – the highest was more than 86,000 feet.

Brian was considered one of the foremost leaders in technology transition to education within Indiana and developed a number of award-winning programs. He was awarded the MIRA Award for three years for his contributions to technology in education. A NASA Top Star Award winner with over 50 other awards to date, he was a CRANE Naval Distinguished Lecturer for the U.S. Navy, and a frequent keynote speaker on commercial space topics as well as education. He was named Top 40 International Space Leader 2017-2020; named the Top 50 International Space Company 2017-2020; and received the Junior Achievement “Best of Indy” Award.

In 2020, Brian and Lori opened Cosmos Coffee (Begin Your Journey) in Flora, focused on faith and space. Besides the coffee, desserts and food, many people came for group discussions and chats. It was a community gathering place which created friendships.

As part of Tanner Ministries, a children’s book, Young Astronauts – Adventures in Genesis!, about faith and space will be forthcoming. Brian was on the Speaker’s Bureau for presenting talks on space and creation. A Space Exploration Center was in the works to be built in Flora beginning next year.

Brian was active in the Flora United Methodist Church and was joined by his wife as part of the Praise Team for two years.

He is survived by his wife (living person -- all of whose names are hidden in the protection of their privacy as dictated by standards of Wikitree).

He was preceded in death by his father, Bud, and sister, Vickie Brown.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Flora, Ind., at the Flora First Christian Church on Sunday, Nov. 7, with visitation from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The Celebration will begin at 3:30.

Donations in Brian’s memory may be made to Tanner Ministries, a 501(c)(3), at 21 S. Center St., Flora, IN 46929.

The family wishes to thank the nurses, respiratory therapists and staff of ICU of Greeneville Community Hospital East for their loving and precious care of Brian and Lori and Richard Jeffers and Jeffers Mortuary for their assistance with the arrangements.

(This material from the Carroll County Comet may be wholly or partially copyrighted, and is supplied solely for genealogical and thus educational purposes. No permission for commercial use should be assumed).

Sources

• Carroll County (IN) Comet: obituary.

His living mother told me (brower-530) that he died of COVID-19.