Don Yahrling Memorial this weekend in Deland

[tso-d_chris 0]

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I found it refreshing that a man as knowledgeable as he was, still took the time to continue learning and never considered himself to be done learning.

I always found it refreshing that a man as talkative as Don could always offer new and useful information, no matter how often you saw him. I will miss his frequent visits to the store and all the conversations we had there and at the Spot.

Few have given as much to the sport as Don.

[RhondaLea 4]

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Don may have seemed crotchity...

He didn't seem crotchety, he reveled in being crotchety. It was almost a trademark. He had a incredibly dry sense of humor, a fine mind and a quick wit.

Don Yarhling was a wonderful guy. But he was definitely crotchety.

There aren't enough people like him in the world, and now we're short one more.

rl

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[apoil 0]

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Holy SHIT! You have got to be kidding me, Peter! Don was in fantastic shape. I am shocked!

Um... he was as big a chain smoker as I have ever known.
That's a huge factor whether or not it directly caused his death.

His contributions to the sport are vast. His heart was pure, and I will never forget him and all that he taught me. I'm deeply saddened by this news.

[wrightskyguy 1]

Don taught my SL inst and TM courses, he loved telling stories, and they all starred him. He was a great guy. I took this pic of him petting my old buddy Beau, turned out looking like a 3 way with baa-bara.

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

[diverdriver 5]

Oh man. That sucks. Flew Don on a few AFF cert courses. Liked working with him.

Blue Skies Don.

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

[chuckakers 425]

Not the way I wanted to start the long weekend.

Don was a great guy and a monster contributor to the skydiving community. Like countless others, I trained under Don, got rated under Don, and even evaluated AFF candidates under Don.

Blue skies, Don. We'll miss you. Hope the coffee's good & hot when you get there.

Chuck Akers
Houston

[sid 1]

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Blue skies, Don. We'll miss you. Hope the coffee's good & hot when you get there.

Chuck, you know he took a mug of joe and a pack of Marlboros with him!

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[skybill 22]

Hi Sid,
What a drag, Don is gone. That Star up there just added another slot.

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[Usetawuz 1]

Thanks for everything. We'll miss you, Don. RIP

_________________________________________
The older I get, the better I was!

[Funintheskies 0]

I am so sorry to hear about Don. He signed me off on AFF in 1991 at Palatka Paracenter, which he previously co-owned. He was also a good friend over the years. I have many memories of drinking beer with him at the bonfire in Palatka. Augh, the last time I saw him was 14 months ago at the "farewell" for Sam Bussey, another old-timer Palakta jumper. I have pictures of Don hugging me. The sport has lost a legend, and I have lost a friend.

Blue skies,

Cathy Crownover Elvy
D-19183

[jumpingbean001 0]

This is incredibly sad news. It is hateful to lose an icon, like Don. I know he contributed to a lot of jumper's careers. Whether you had issues with his ego-or not-you had to appreciate his experience and knowledge. He was always complete with a story (yes, he was usually the star), but if you could get over that, they were usually entertaining and had something to offer.

I had a LONG conversation with him one day in Deland (about a month ago) and he proceeded to tell me about his many health problems, along with his struggles in dealing with the loss of his parents and dealing with their assets, his future plans to work his way around Europe by bartering his talents/services, etc. This man was NOT done, from what he relayed to me.

There is certainly a void in the world now. He will be missed!

Blue Skies, Don!
Tammie

Let's have fun! :)

[airtwardo 7]

He was always complete with a story (yes, he was usually the star), but if you could get over that, they were usually entertaining and had something to offer.


***

...I can hear Don saying it now~

"It ain't braggin'..if ya really done it!"

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[daveverner 0]

Sorry to hear this, of course I am sadden by this news. It sorta hits home when guys younger than you are pass away. Dave Verner D-968

[Tonto 1]

I can't beleive how hard this has hit me.

I knew Don for only nine days at Perris in 1992 when he rated me as an AFF instructor. I think we had a run in when we first met, cos I had long hair and he was a Military man - but his point of view softened when he found I had also spent time in the Military. One of the most valuable things he taught me were 2 of "Murphys laws of combat." These were designed to make AFFIC's aware of the potential pitfalls of choosing an AFF partner or drawing too much attention to one's self - but they're true for real life too.

1. There's no such thing as friendly fire.
2. Act unimportant. The enemy my be low on ammunition.

I've done nearly 2000 AFF dives since I got that rating, and every weekend I go through the door with an AFF student, they benifit from the skills he handed me.

Blue Skies Don.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[mjosparky 4]

We are slowing starting to lose our forefathers, the men and women who created skydiving through their courage and talent. In the next 5 to 10 years most of them will be gone. And with them will go an unbelievable amount of knowledge, experience and wisdom the likes of which will never again be seen in skydiving. They are an irreplaceable treasure.

The younger jumpers need to take the time to sit and talk with these history books and find out how skydiving came to be.

Condolences to Don’s family and friends.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[AirtecKai 0]

This is sad, and too early..

I had the pleasure to meet this small guy with his coffee mug in winter 1990 at Coolidge, as I made my AFF rating. It was a very hard week, but definately the best way to get the necessary responsibility across to the candidates. Evaluator Murphy was always present.....and prepared us for the real world out there.

We became friends over the years.

Goodbye Don.

[freakyrat 1]

Blue Skies Don.

You accomplished a lot in your life and made a lot of lasting contributions to this sport.

Chris

[sid 1]

I made an "Uncle Don" page on my site and created a guestbook for those that would like to leave a short tribute.......
http://sidsrigging.com/uncledon.htm

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[Raefordite 0]

Thoughts and prayers to Don, his family, and his skydiving family. We will all miss you.
Kate

[dzolloyd 0]

God bless you Uncle Don. Thanks for the rating.

GET SOME, altitude!

[Para5-0 0]

Very Shocking News,
As most of us, Don was my AFF Instructor Evaluator in 1994 at Cross Keys. I was lucky enough to spend nine days at the DZ. Since Don was also staying in the area, I spent each evening listening and learning. The vast amount of experience he had was overwhelming to a young prospective Instructor. I will hold those memories close to me. My prayers are with Don's family and friends.

[jumperconway 0]

Blue skies Don obviously you touched many in our small community. May your friends and family take solice in in your peace.
Conway

[shall555 0]

Here's Don in full HALO regalia:

Don in '75

shall

[htrammel 0]

Ahhh SHIT!
Don was a truly good man. A crotchety, grumpy bastard, but truly good.
I knew him since I first started jumping in Palatka in 1988, I still recall kicking him square in the chin (it drew blood) when I spun on my AFF level 3. Upon landing he assured me that I WOULD be buying him a beer that evening. We consumed several.
Tons of memories of tons of good times and tons of wisdom.
Blue skies Don.
Henry Trammel

[NickDG 23]

>>Here's Don in full HALO regalia:<<

This may be impossible for some to understand today, but when that cover ran in '75 it raised a big stink. One letter printed in the next issue said, "Please keep the military crap out of our magazine." The feeling was the military had their own ways to disseminate their propaganda and they shouldn't be using our due's money to do it.

In those days military jumping was playing catch up with the civilian side of things and nobody saw that photo, or the Golden Knights, as anything more than a recruiting tool (which is what they were, and still are).

When I saw the military 4-way diamond centerfold in an issue this year I wondered if anyone would say anything, but no one did . . .

NickD BASE 194