Jason Whitely's 11 News report

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER - Almost 700 friends and colleagues from NASA's Johnson Space Center attended a memorial service for slain engineer David Beverly Wednesday.

"My wish is that this be a day of joy," said Linda Beverly, David's widow. "If you leave here without laughing today, we've done wrong to celebrate this man."

She smiled and appeared upbeat addressing the attendees immediately after the invocation though Linda Beverly was not listed to speak on the program.

"I want to say thank you for the support you're giving our whole family through this," she said. "David had such a passion in working for NASA."

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David Beverly

She left the stage to a standing ovation.

The senior avionics engineer was killed during a hostage standoff at NASA last Friday.

Fran Crenshaw, who was also held hostage during the ordeal but not hurt, attended the memorial service, too, sitting next to Mrs. Beverly.

"I would like to quote Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt after concluding the investigation into this senseless tragedy," said Mike Coats, Johnson Space Center Director. "'We have learned one thing at this point. Heroes don't just lie in space. Sometimes heroes work in the next cubicle to you.'"

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"My wish is that this be a day of joy," said Linda Beverly, David's widow.

Friends agreed.

They remembered David's taste for the road, riding motorcycles cross-country with his wife. Together, they owned 17 bikes, including a slick red Ducati parked on stage.

More than 670 people crowded into the Teague Auditorium at the JSC for the 10 A.M. service.

Friday afternoon, Beverly was gunned down by a contract employee during a hostage standoff in Building 44. Investigators said Bill Phillips, a co-worker, brought a revolver to work and took Beverly and Crenshaw hostage.

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Several fellow motorcycle enthusiasts attended the memorial.

Phillips, reportedly distressed over a poor performance review, is believed to have killed Beverly before taking his own life in Building 44, which houses a communications laboratory.

At the end of the service, NASA presented a gift to Linda Beverly honoring David's years of dedication to America's space program. Coats gave her a framed flag which flew over mission control the day he died.

Beverly will be buried Thursday afternoon.