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Indianapolis mom’s dying wish of traveling to space to be fulfilled after death

Jo Ann Holder’s remains will be launched Monday and her final resting place will be among the stars.

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis woman who dreamed of going to space will finally get her dying wish. 

Jo Ann Holder’s remains will be launched Monday, Jan. 8, and her final resting place will be among the stars. 

Her son, Joe Cassady, bought the space burial service from Celestis. A tiny capsule will carry her ashes into space, along with more than 260 others.  

This will be the 19th mission.  

Holder died in 2019 at the age of 82. 

She watched many launches at the Kennedy Space Center, and though she worked many years as a school resource officer with Indianapolis Public Schools, Cassady said his mother's true passion was learning more about the sun, moon and stars.

Credit: Joe Cassady
Jo Ann Holder

Her interest in space dates to President John F. Kennedy. 

"He was the guy who got the whole space program really going," Cassady said. "She just always was fascinated by what's out there beyond."

The rocket will take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

"It just stays in orbit around the sun," Cassady said.

Credit: Celestis
More than 260 capsules carrying ashes will launch into space next week.

The fee to circle in space for eternity starts at $2,500. For Cassady, the opportunity to fulfill his mom's dream of outer space is priceless.

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