upndownshop 0 #1 February 6, 2006 This was posted last week. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2055507#2055507 If a moderator needs to change this, I apoogize, I wasn't sure how to do this with out a repost. Bob passed away in his sleep, to be found Friay morning Feuruary 4th 2006. No details yet on services. He will be greatly missed. Pictures posted in other thread, of Bob in the old days. Thank You J Well after doing this, it didnt work like I was thinking, please if a moderator wants to change it, I could use the help.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #2 February 6, 2006 Bob packed my first save that occurred in 1982, and he sold me my first THREE rigs. Photos on a web site HERE. Click to enlarge. _Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #3 February 6, 2006 Rus thanks!!! The second shot, that is at my parents house, must have been thanksgiving????? That is Bill Homer? Steve Erickson, Bob Chaffin and Larry Portman. Is that correct? We are leaving for Texas in a few minutes, thanks for the site, I will snag some photos at a later date. Thanks again J Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #4 February 6, 2006 Quote Rus thanks!!! The second shot, that is at my parents house, must have been thanksgiving????? That is Bill Homer? Steve Erickson, Bob Chaffin and Larry Portman. Is that correct? J Homer Hudson, Steve Erickson, Bob and I need an ID for the guy on the right. _____Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #5 February 6, 2006 Yes on second thought that isnt Larry or Bill. For some reason Fred comes to mind on the last. Wil probably come up with it on the road. I notified Jerry Felts. thanks again Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #6 February 6, 2006 Quote Bob packed my first save that occurred in 1982, and he sold me my first THREE rigs. Photos on a web site HERE. Click to enlarge. _ Russ, Bob put me out on my first jump in 1978 at Seagoville and packed my first save also ( which you have a picture of ). What sad news that he passed. Edited to say: That guy on the right was an ex Dallas cop who had broken his leg so bad that he had to quit jumping long before I ever made my first jump. Can't remember his real name but he went by a nick name of Whimpy or Windy or something like that.The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #7 February 6, 2006 Quote Russ, Bob put me out on my first jump in 1978 at Seagoville and packed my first save also ( which you have a picture of ). What sad news that he passed. Edited to say: That guy on the right was an ex Dallas cop who had broken his leg so bad that he had to quit jumping long before I ever made my first jump. Can't remember his real name but he went by a nick name of Whimpy or Windy or something like that. I cleared my docket, and I'll be going to Dallas tomorrow. My phone number is 713 225 5932, so anyone in the know about the "wake" please call me. ________Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #8 February 7, 2006 I'll be coming up to Dallas today to participate in Bob's send off. I'll have my collection of photos from the seventies and eighties with me, of course. Campisi's on Mockingbird would be a nice place to tip a few 's in his honor following the viewing tonight, February 7, 2006. I suggest it, but I'm open to alternatives ideas. If someone knows of a place with a big screen we can commandeer that would be good. ____________________Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonsonjh 0 #9 February 7, 2006 Bob was also my original mentor. He trained me for my first jump at his house in 1978. I practiced cutaways on the floor of his living room with two guys pulling on the risers. When my old round parachute opened the next morning, Bob flew around me in his square and shouted steering directions to me. The reserve he packed for me worked perfectly when I used it a few months later at about jump 30. I would never have gotten past being a student without him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #10 February 7, 2006 Visitation will be 6-8 pm Tuesday the 7th at Roselawn Funeral home 1000 S. Hw 175 Seagoville Tx Services at same location 10:00 am Wednesday the 8th. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #11 February 7, 2006 Jeff is that you!! Wow I havent seen you since Seagoville. How are you, hope you are well. Would be great to see you, will you make it tomorrow? Everything is short notice so I understand if you cant. My fiance and I will be back in dallas in October, maybe we can catch up then. Take care J Schrimsher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonsonjh 0 #12 February 7, 2006 Hi J. I would very much like to be there tomorrow, but there just isn't enough time. I only got the message from Russell a few hours ago. Say goodbye for me to one of my first and greatest mentors. Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #13 February 7, 2006 Speaking of which, here is a shot of Jeff landing in the peas at Seagoville._____________Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonsonjh 0 #14 February 8, 2006 The photo is actually my second jump, but on the same gear as the first. Bob Chaffin may have also put me out on the second, but I am not sure. Apparently, on my first jump, my knees were not bent enough to make a good PLF, so on the second I was moving my knees just before landing in order to find the correct angle, even though I could not see them under the belly reserve container. Steve Erikson, to the left in the photo, said I looked like a jumpin' frog. Looks like I got it just about right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #15 February 11, 2006 We said goodbye to Bob Chaffin on Wednesday. In the great scheme of things, he will go without fame or infamy. He was loved by all who knew him, though. I'd like to hear your feelings about your relationship with he/she who served up your first save or who was your first mentor or who sold you your first or second or third rig, or who packed reserves for years, even though you never used them.... Having been around this mix of people for almost 28 years, it gave me great pleasure, in conflict with my grief, to see so many old time jumpers from different Dallas DZs in attendance. Even the Schrimsher "kids" were there. They were literally DZ Brats when I was coming up so long ago. Chaffin was "Uncle Bob" to them. Dam... They're pushing 40 now.. The photo is attached. ________________Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonsonjh 0 #16 February 11, 2006 The simplicity of Bob Chaffin’s mentoring is what I admire now. I learned much those first couple of years, yet I remember only the barest of instructional advice. Before my first jump, and the second shown in the photo above, Bob only told me to face in the direction of the paddles at the circumference of the pea gravel pit. This method got me onto the target nearly every time. I can imagine other instructors, especially today, spending hours lecturing about all the intricacies of canopy piloting and procedures for handling unusual events. Square patterns were not discussed (nor very useful with a slow round canopy). A few jumps later, he allowed me to jump a square parachute rig with a pull-out pilot chute; quite a change form the military gear I had been used. I remember only two pieces of advice from Bob, 1) be sure you are stable when you pull out the pilot chute, and 2) flare slowly in such a way you get to the stall point when your feet touch the ground. Any more information would have overloaded me to a point where I might have lost confidence and not made the jump. Bob gave students confidence by making the particular jump look easy. He took care of the jump’s complexities beyond the student’s capabilities, and let the student master the next learnable skill. He must have realized too many unnecessary details would confuse the students enough so they could not even remember what was really important. At the time I had no appreciation for such simplistic, or any other, teaching methods. Giving students enough information to get started, letting them struggle with subsequent problems, then giving help when they are blocked, is my favorite way to both learn and teach. Bob mentored me before I had done much other learning. Now after spending many years in academia being both student and teacher, I see how good an experience I had learning to skydive. I see Bob’s teaching style whenever I instructed my own students. It’s nice to think he started such thinking in me on that summer day in 1978 when he gently guided me out of the airplane and into a new lifestyle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tyost 0 #17 February 11, 2006 Russell, Thanks so much for posting that picture. It was really good to see everyone this week, despite all of the grief. Hopefully we'll find a way to keep in touch in some way other than funerals. Thanks also for bringing all of the pictures to the services, I think everyone enjoyed them. Tracy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #18 February 11, 2006 Jeff, beautifully put. There was no ego or self importance in Bob's method of instruction, just the essential information for the task at hand. Made learning so much clearer and much easier to recall when you really needed it.The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kerrysmith 0 #19 January 7, 2013 I just today learned of Bob's passing. I jumped at Seagoville 1970-75. Bob was my mentor and friend. I spent many happy hours with him at the DZ and his home. He was one of the first with a square parachute and sold me my ParaPlane Cloud. That plus the pig rig and the split saddle and the one-shots made us real pioneers back then. He was a good guy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #20 January 7, 2013 Kerrysmith, there's still not a day that goes by that Bob doesn't cross my mind, what a memorable person he was.The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #21 January 8, 2013 Quote Kerrysmith, there's still not a day that goes by that Bob doesn't cross my mind, what a memorable person he was. I agree Jerry, just saw the photo of him in the 73 Parachutist of dad giving him his Gold Wings. "Grandpa Bob" as Stan and I called him. Not sure if he ever appreciated us calling him that, but we really did not have a grandpa and he was a perfect candidate I guess. :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
