From 1985 until her death, Ride's lesbian partner was Dr. Tam E. O'Shaughnessy, a childhood friend who met Ride when both youngsters were aspiring tennis players.
O'Shaughnessy, a professor emerita of school psychology at San Diego State University, is also chief operating officer and executive vice president of Sally Ride's foundation, named Sally Ride Science, where the duo and their staff nurtured young students and worked to encourage them to pursue their passions in science, tech, engineering and math.
They also co-wrote 4 books together.