I was living in a marina just across the lake from the Johnson Space Center. Many NASA engineers and other NASA employees also lived there. The extreme gloom in that complex only began lifting after a community pool party later that summer.
This happened at the same day and time of my grandfathers funeral. Learned of it when we arrived a the cemetery from two of my neighbors.
My grandfather was 98 and we were celebrating his life. The shuttle explosion was a national tragedy!
I was in Odessa, TX.
Had just dropped a load at a warehouse there and needed to sit 30 hours to let my log book catch up to me.
Heard about it on the radio and went inside the truck stop to check out the tv coverage.
Sad day.
I’ll never forget that day. Greg Jarvis was a payload specialist from Hughes Aircraft Company (who was on board).
I, along with 600 other HAC employees, applied for that position.
https://www.dailybreeze.com/2011/01/28/looking-back-greg-jarvis-dream-remembered/
Was stationed in Berlin watching the events unfold on AFN television.