Jim Dann, SCR 6, passed Aug 23, 2016

[NancyWSCR15 2]

It is with great sadness that I’m reporting the passing of Jim Dann, SCR 6, at a hospice in Palm Springs, CA on Tues, Aug 23, 2016. Jim’s wife, Donna Wardean Dann, SCR 26, said he died peacefully after a long bout with illness. Jim, age 74, was one of the few remaining survivors who had participated in the first 8-man star at Arvin, CA on Oct 17, 1965. By a strange act of fate, Donna was at Arvin that day to make her first skydive. Donna will provide more information later regarding memorial arrangements. Gary Young, SCR 1, is the last known survivor of the first 8-man star. The status of Mitch Poteet, SCR 4, is unknown.

[jumpsalot-2 3]

I was listening to a pioneer skydiver talk about that first 8 way star at Arvin. It was a "There I was" story. He had a sparkle in his eye telling it. It must have been a great day for all of the participants. The fact that Donna was there was destiny.

Life is short ... jump often.

[chuckakers 425]

We still celebrate SCR's here in Texas and always make sure our recipients know and respect its history.

RIP Jim Dann

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[mjosparky 4]

RIP Jim. Thanks for the good times.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[cutaway1 3]

Jim was a cool guy with a high beam smile.
Tim Harris SCR-21

SCR-21

[ArvinAlP64 5]

Hi Tim,

We lost a very important big-way relative work pioneer on August 23, 2016. Jim Dann was originally from Texas. He joined the Marines at age fifteen and served on a Navy ship. He moved to Burbank, California and worked in an aircraft overhaul facility where he met Bob Buquor. Jim was one of Bob's few skydiving students.
I met Jim at Burbank Airport on October 17, 1964. A mutual friend had organized a 10,000 foot Saturday morning one-way adventure headed north in a C172 with the door on. We jumped into a little DZ just past the Grapevine outside a small agricultural town named Arvin. I had twenty-two jumps.
Jim and I both lived in Burbank and began sharing expenses driving up to Arvin on the weekends. We'd also attend Brian Williams's Music Appreciation, Wine Sipping and Parachute Packing Society meetings on Tuesday nights. We would wind up moving into the guest house of his mom's new place in Burbank. Listed below are some of Jim's early accomplishments:

First seven-man star: Arvin, CA. Early 1965. Bill Newell and I witnessed it from the packing tables.

First eight-man star: Arvin, CA. October 17, 1965.

First ten-man hook-up: Arvin, CA. February, 1966.

First ten-man baton pass: Arvin, CA. May 15, 1966.

First nine-man star: Arvin, CA. May 29, 1966. The last weekend of the Arvin DZ.

Stunt jumps for, "Don't Make Waves," the Tony Curtis, Sharon Tate movie filmed by Bob Buguor. Bob drowned on one of the camera jumps on July 27, 1966 off Malibu Pier, CA.

First ten-man star: Taft, CA. July 2, 1967.

Yearly big-way demo jumps into The Stock Plane Air Races at Shafter, CA

Original member of The Arvin Good Guys speed ten-way team.


Please feel free to make additions and/or corrections as needed.

Fly Free Jim

Al Paradowski SCR 002

[cutaway1 3]

Jim Dann is lower left, Bill Newell, Tommy Owens, & Tim Harrris over Arvin, CA 1965.

SCR-21

[Jyanks 2]

RIP Jim Dann   Blue Skies

[flyhi 24]

On 9/18/2016 at 5:44 PM, cutaway1 said:

Jim Dann is lower left, Bill Newell, Tommy Owens, & Tim Harrris over Arvin, CA 1965.

SCR-21

Is it still possible to see this image? I guess it didn't make the leap over.