Michele 1 #1 October 10, 2003 You are invited to Rob's Memorial Service and Ash Dives will be held at Skydive Elsinore this Saturday, October 11. The following is the tentative schedule - the fine details are still being hashed out... ~~~~~ October 11th, tentative schedule. Arrive 10:30 I've asked all the participants to be there by 10:30, so if we need to have a safety briefing, waivers and whatnot else, it can be done without impeding everything. We will dirt dive and train Bob (Rob's father) for his tandem at this time, as well. This will be Bob's first tandem, and his very special way of releasing his son into the sky where Rob found so much joy. The Memorial will start at noon. We will have an ordained, skydiving minister start the memorial service. I expect it to be very brief - maybe about 5 minutes or so. If there is anyone who would like to contribute a memory or a thought, this would be a good time for that. Please pm me if you would like to participate. Immediately afterwards, Bob would go up on his tandem with video. Part of Rob's ashes will be released during this tandem. As soon as Bob lands, the next plane would be for the rest of the jumpers and subsequent dives. We have several dives planned, as Rob was very well liked and there was a need to design more than one jump to accommodate those who would like to participate in the sky. Flat Flyers. Michael Owens ("MJOSparky") is load organizing this group. He will have smoke on his foot, and there will be an additional 4 people (including a flat flyer vidiot). I am not sure we have already set up a videographer, so if you're willing to do this, please let me or Sparky know. Freeflying Campfire. Leon Tosen ("SonnyChiba") is Load organizing this group. A five-way freefly campfire with video will exit. They will release the balance of Rob's ashes during their freefall. I've asked Jessica Miller ("Mujie96") to be the releaser. Flocking. JP Funari ("Diablopilot") is load organizing this. The balance of the plane load will be flockers, with video. JP has agreed to break from the formation and pull higher than the rest of the flock, and will fly Rob's canopy for the last time. The goal is to have JP land last, and come across the grass. At this point, once all jumpers are down and out of their gear, we will gather for the luncheon for the participants and family. I will provide a clean log book so that people can sign it and remember Rob that way. ~~~~ Please, if you want to participate, contact me or the L/O indicated above. We will do our best to accommodate all volunteers. Also, if you should want to include your thoughts, but cannot make it to Elsinore, pm them to me, and I will print them out and bring them with me for the family. Please have them to me latest Friday October 10, 5 pm, so I can make sure I can get them printed out and together. Even if you choose to not be on the dives, please come out and show your support to his family. Rob's passing was a serious shock, and has hit the community hard. I know Bob would appreciate knowing what his son gave to the skydivers he knew, and to the community at large. Thanks, everyone. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #2 October 10, 2003 Please let Rob's family know that people at Sebastian, where he worked for awhile, will be thinking about all of you on Saturday. I will lift a beer in his honor and memory on Saturday night, and let everyone around me know who I'm drinking to and why. Give Jess a hug for me, please. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #3 October 10, 2003 It sounds like it will be beautiful, Michele. What a powerful and moving way to say goodbye. Peace and love to everyone whom knew and loved Rob. Much love to his father...he sounds like a very special man. BSBD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #4 October 10, 2003 It sounds like you have arranged a wonderful and thoughtful day for everyone involved to celebrate Rob. I hope the weather is perfect for you all and that among the tears that may fall, there will be a lot of smiles remembering how full of life Rob truly was. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #5 October 10, 2003 Michele, rather than having a "clean" logbook for people to sign, I have found it better on the several ash dives I have been involved with that the jump participants all sign the current logbook as "the last dive". Just a thought. Just a thought. We executed a brilliant ash dive this past weekend for an old former Navy Chuting Stars Member. I did the tandem and the passenger was one of the sons of the deceased. He had not only never skydived, he had never even been in an airplane. We released all his fathers ashes over Raeford with the aid of another skydiver, Chris Wagner. The other son was was 20 feet away in freefall, also in tandem, watching the release. These dives, when properly executed, are fantastically moving. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #6 October 10, 2003 Thank you Michele.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #7 October 10, 2003 QuoteI have found it better on the several ash dives I have been involved with that the jump participants all sign the current logbook as "the last dive". Just a thought. Just a thought. Hey, it's a great thought. I didn't think of that at all...lemme see what I can do, and see if we can't get his log book for that. Thanks, Chuck! And I've recently heard that we are a wee bit short of flockers...if anyone is willing to commit to doing that and celebrating this BMI's life, please get in touch with me or with Diablopilot. It would be very cool to see his friends flock on his behalf. And as I've never done something like this, let alone seen an ash dive, I can only say I really hope this goes off well. Thanks in advance to those who will be there to celebrate Rob's life, and to console his father... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #8 October 10, 2003 Hey Michele, Count me in. Attached is a Hybrid we did 8 June 2002. Rob is on the left at 3 o'clock, while I'm at 12 o'clock, just to the right of skysurfer Larry of Elsinore Electric. This photo was taken by our own SonnyChiba, Leon Toson. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #9 October 10, 2003 Bumpity bump bump..... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sinker 0 #10 October 10, 2003 another deserved bump... God bless you Michele, you're a beautiful woman! -the artist formerly known as sinker Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #11 October 11, 2003 One last bump-er-oo.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #12 October 11, 2003 I'm sorry that I didn't send a pic in time. I see it every day. I have a photo hung at the top of our stair way of my son at 7 mos. He is holding a Parachutist mag. All you can see is Rob and my son's heads and feet. 2 weeks after that pic was taken, I met Rob at Rantoul WFFC 2002. I remember his considerate & understand help he gave me. I'm glad to know him just like that. ...I only knew him with a smile._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #13 October 12, 2003 All I can say is WOW. It went off well...and Bob T's dive was absolutely glorious. Our very own Cajones was the TM, and I am in utter awe of him for handling it all with incredible tact, diplomacy, and a joy that was lovely to behold. I am far too tired to write anything coherent; I woke up stressed at 3:45 am, so I'm ruinning on about 4 hours' sleep...but I promise I will have the story up soon, and the video, once complete, will bring you into Rob's memorial in a way that is absolutely unbelieveable. Lief, the gentleman who is editing it all together, is a freakin' magician, and an unknown talent (not unknown for long, however). Thank you all for participating...thank you, thank you, thank you. It was intense, incredible, and glorious. How very emtional and rough and amazing to set Rob free again into the skies he loved so dearly, surrounded by people who loved him just as dearly. What an amazing honor to have been part of this. Thank you all so very much. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #14 October 12, 2003 Yes, it was a great day for skydives. All the jumps went very well; tandem, 6 way star, freefly, and flocking dive. The ceremony was very nice as well. Michele, you did a wonderful job of organizing everything. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cherokee 0 #15 May 30, 2014 Greetings- I am happy to hear that your ash dive was a memorable and successfull celebration for this fallen brother. I currently lost my brother last week and am asking for some help concerning what I could put his ashes in to release him. Is there a certain kind of bag or something I could make here at home, that would work. I did talk to my DZ owner, and was told I could use theirs, but would like to make my own about the size of a baseball. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks-and God Bless. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #16 May 31, 2014 PM sent with requested suggestions ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
