John Kelly, Jr - JP from Byron

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

This sucks very badly. I hope they bury his SKYMONKEY hat with him. JP was one of the good ones. Unfuckingbelievable. Another sad day.

BSBD!!

Chuck

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=2135&string=jp%20kelly

_________________________________________

[bellavita 0]

My heart is heavy, for JP and his family. I'm so glad I came out on Saturday for my big JP hug. He was such a dz papa, he really cared. Thank you JP for all the guidance and the confidence on those scccary AFF jumps (celebration picture attached!) So much love and peace to you. Angie

Live life so completely that when death comes to you like a thief in the night, there will be nothing left to steal.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I'll pray for your family JP and everyone down in Byron.



-Deuce I don't remember when we were talking about the 'other' JP being Diablo like he was mentioning above, but somehow I remember settling for being the other other JP through that conversation...like when Fat Bastard says 'Baby...the other other white meat'...So I'll remember JP1 with warmness. And nobody could relate misreading a tetrahedron or a canopy mal like you could...you had such an amazing sense of humor.

I wish I could find something inspirational to say to the Byron crew that has to suffer with this right now, but I'm not that eloquent.


JP3

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[schwede 0]

I became so sad and devastated when I got the message from Gareth, I'll surely miss you my man. I really enjoyed your company when you came to Sweden and the Herc boogie. I wish you all the best where you are now my man and that you have found your safe spot in the air. I'll miss you.

Schwede
"Das Leben ist schön, nicht immer aber immer öfter"

[katiebear21 0]

I am having a very hard time with this. Not only because JP was such a great friend to me before I met him but because he allowed me into his life by introducing me to his wife, Corinne, and his beautiful girls Camille and Yvette. Their thoughtfulness got me through some pretty tough times. I kept pictures the girls sent me in Kuwait on my refridgerator at home for almost 2 years. I will never forget what he and his family did for me.

I love you brother. To Corinne and the girls. Thank you for everything. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Katie
Get your PMS glass necklace here

[SkydiveStMarys 0]

Wow! Just...wow...totally shocked and sadden.


Bobbi

A miracle is not defined by an event. A miracle is defined by gratitude.

[BikerBabe 0]

Fuck. No. Oh, JP, you will be missed. Blue Skies, my friend.

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

[piratemike 0]

I remeber some of the stories he would tell rather well. He always told them with such emotion.

This sucks.

He is probably the only one that could tell us whe he was really going through.

[Baldwyn 0]

Wow. I can't comprehend this.

My fondest memory is JP telling me that you can get a crack whore in Richmond for pocket change. With that story in your arsenal, you should live forever.

[mouth 0]

I still can't get my mind around it all simply because JP is gone. I've spent the last hour talking to Viking crying and laughing at the fun times we all shared.

Band surfing

fire walking

beer drinking

long walks and even longer talks

hugs

smiles

laughs

skydives...some good and some REALLY bad

JP breaking his ankle and Me driving him the the hospital..it is funny since I'm from a small town in GA

video of said hospital visit

being told I can't drive a wheelchair

laughing at the pain meds and my driving being much better going back to the DZ

figuring out how to get all his gear (God that man loved toys) back in his truck...especially the bike

joking about my hair color this week

crying about life

realizing that not everything in life is perfect no matter how much we want it to be

talking about changes and how we can only change ourselves

life moving on and coming full circle

family

Monkey hats

Guinness...I only drank it cause JP helped finish it

Yes, I knew JP was frustrated and unhappy at times because we were friends, but he hid it so well the last time we talked and since I was so far away....I didn't know....

I honestly don't think it would have made a difference even if several of us had been right there. JP was obviously at the point where he saw no light, no other way, no options. Nothing we could have said would have made a difference. Trust me, JP and I talked about things till we were blue in the face. If he took this route then he was beyond anyone talking to him.

I will miss you, JP.

Love always...see ya when I get there,
Lisa

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[skreamer 1]

Bollocks, JP I am really pissed off. Wherever you are now I hope you are drinking like a viking and telling some of your funny stories. (and standing your landings up, that would be nice too)

Will

[KingAirGirl 0]

I am still in shock. I haven't seen JP since I moved back to Texas but he is hanging on my wall in a picture. He is in the video of my Mom's tandem way back when. He was there when I did my farewell skydive when I was 2 months pregnant with Dylan. He is in my heart. I had to make Gumby tell me several times because I just could not believe it was true.

So now all I can do is cry and hold my sons, Dylan and Kevin. And I thank God that I did get to know JP for at least a part of my life. I hope I can raise my sons to have such a kind, loving heart as JP.

My thoughts and prayers go out to JP's entire family - including his skydiving family. There isn't a week that goes by where I don't miss Byron and the Byron Luv.

The world will be a sadder place without him.

Gail E.

[diverdriver 6]

Deuce. Damn. wtf man.

[Amazon 7]

Hey Guys,

I got an email from Corrine.... Perhaps I should just let her words convey her thoughts....

Quote

I just wanted to find a way to thank dropzone.com for posting the nice things about John to the forum. He was loved by so many, and he made a positive impact on so many people. I hope he can now see that he was really really loved and that he is a good person.

Jean, I enjoyed your visit here last year and thought you wouldn't mind me asking you to let the gang know that I appreciate all of their kind words. One more thing... the paper called John a Junior... he did not like being called Junior... His legal name is John Patrick Kelly II.... his favorite name was dad, his next favorite name was J.P. AKA Deuce.

I have to write his obiturary before noon tomorrow, so I am going to get some sleep soon. (hopefully) I believe that the funeral planning service, TraditionCare Funeral Services in Antioch CA, will have a place for people to post about John on their Web site: traditioncare.com I think that people involved in parts of John's life besides skydiving would enjoy reading about the love he received from his skydiving community. (They propably won't peek in the forum like I sometimes do).

i also need to send photos in for a slide show, and they need the photos by Monday. I've seen a lot on dropzone.com I'm not very computer savy, so I cant seem to copy them. I don't know if a savy computer person could create a link could be set somewhere for posting photos, but it would be helpful, and fun for Camille and Yvette to see the photos as an album later, when they are ready. They are taking this very hard, so am I.

Thanks Jean

Corinne Kelly

Lets all see if we cant help her out at this time... She needs our help. I know Roy and Iwan and the other Byron Boys have TONS of great pictures of DeuceDad.

Corrine... There are a LOT of people here for you if you need us.

Crying again

[pop 0]

Doode...your penguin impression was the best. You just didnt seem like the type to put a gun to your head, but I guess our social self is not always our true self. I am so sorry.

BSBD

7 ounce wonders, music and dogs that are not into beer

[GravityGirl 0]

To the friends of John Kelly, aka JP, aka Deuce:

I hear your cries.
I feel your pain.
I sense your anguish,
Your tears like rain.

Why did he do it?
What could I have done?
Oh God it hurts.
Why is he gone?

His pain as dark as the blackest night
His demons never giving up their fight.
The shadows deep within his heart
Constantly tearing his soul apart.

I do not know his painful depths
For that I thank the Lord
For I have only just begun to learn
To balance mine with His word.

But this I know to be true.
This I choose to share with you.
Our friend was with us many years.
Through the joy and through the tears.
Because of the light and love you chose to share
Because of the freedom he found in the air.

Please find peace in knowing well
You did your part to subdue his hell
Turn now to each other.
Hold your sister, hold your brother
Stand behind the girls he loved so well
Be there always so they may never fall.

In closing please know it’s more than words when I say, “I love you all.”

……and Peace and Blue Skies is more than a catchy slogan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[bbarnhouse 0]

I have been trying to write something of consequence, something meaningful,but alas the words escape me.
I think that I have gone through a birrage of emotions. First being seriously angry at JP, on to a flood of tears that lasted well into this morning. Even now, I am choked up with my own grief and loss, trying to function in my own crazy life.
Trying to understand something that I know I never will.

I have so many memories of Deuce. Most are filled with light and laughter, but there were some very dark times as well.

The one constant truth I do know is the love that Deuce felt and expressed openly for his family. I use to joke with him and tell him that I was standing in line ...right behind Corrine and the twinsJP loved me a lot, just as he did all those he considered within his skydiving family. He supported us near and far sending goodies to those deployed, cards on special occasions, and for me a dance and kiss on the forehead when Scott couldnt make it home for Christmas or New Years. He would say..."Thats from Scott" ...thats just the way he rolled.

For now, I am caught up in my own grief, but I do know that at some point I will think of JP beyond the pain and smile at the memories. Until then, I can only say to my dear friend, I salute the divine within you and hope that you are at peace.

[catfishhunter 2]

My Heart is heavy. Duece was the only person other then Lisa at the Holiday Boogie I attended that truly went out of their way to spend time with me (other then the Utah Contingent) I remember he grabbing me and pulling me over into conversations at night just because I was standing there alone. We only got to make one jump together but I will never forget him hanging from the Skyvan with Lisa and the look opn his face when Lisa was gone before anyone else was ready....

It is not often you meet people like John whom can leave a life lasting impression from a brief moment in time....

To his family...You will be in my families prays. May God be with you.

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[Keith 0]

Blue Skies Deucey. I hope you found what you were looking for.

Keith

Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville

[flyangel2 2]

I posted this in the other thread:

I just can't seem to find the words to express how I'm feeling.

JP was a good friend, and I was honored for him to call me "one of my bestest friends."

JP and I had plans to meet up for dinner on the 23rd of this month while I was out in Calif. visiting Lisa Briggs. I was so looking forward to having two of my closest friends in the same place. I'm kind of selfish like that.

So many fond memories of JP. Memories that will always stay in my heart forever.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[tbrown 26]

I only met JP two times, both at Perris. The first time I was grounded, on crutches and he was down to help on the JFTC Calendar shoot. He was just the nicest happiest guy.

Having two daughters of my own, I feel so much for his wife and their girls. God bless and keep them, they're going to need it.

Nothing else to say that would matter, except let's all love each other while we have each other.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[wonderwoman07 0]

I didn't know JP very well, but I do know that he was a very caring, very loving person. At Tom's SNOT he gave me a huge hug and had many kind words to say.


My condolences to the family and Byron Love to all.

[tiedyekeith 0]

My tiedye flag flies weightedly at half mast

"Bird will sing for a little while and then flies on...."

Fly on, man. Fly on.

Peace and love in all their forms to you and yours,
Keith

P.S. They never do get easier, do they? They all SUCK!

[vdschoor 0]

All,

I wanted to share the information on the funeral service for JP.

http://www.traditioncare.com/sitemaker/sites/tradit0/obit.cgi?user=jkelly

Thanks,
Iwan