I have looked at this forum a few times but I am not a regular visitor. I have noticed several of the guys that we have jumped with at the rallys are posting here. Paul Reiner, Gary Van Fossen, CR Fowler, etc. etc.

As most of you know my friend Dick had been very ill with bone cancer for the last couple of years. He passed away this past Saturday, the 24th. It was a peaceful end considering the pain he had had especially the last couple of weeks.
We flew and raced together for 25+ years.

I apologize for this method of notification but we realized we didn't have all the names and numbers like we should have. If we did not notify you properly, I am sorry.

His family asked myself and Faron Trosper for help at his funeral (last evening), we gladly complied. We installed Dick's ashes into the fuelage of his familiar blue jump plane. This is now his "urn" We assembled the plane at the service and it was up front, where he likes to be. After the service, he was carried down to his shop, in his basement where he can continue to monitor his shop.

Towards the end we spoke about what he wanted. We decided to drop his ashes over our field in Monrovia, Indiana when the weather warms up this spring. We'll take the plane up with his favorite diver and drop him and the diver one last time. I would like to let everyone take a lap with that plane that wants to. We'll land it and we'll then try to get that plane to the AMA (along with the skydiver) for display in the museum. His biggest concern to me seemed to be that I didn't want to keep the plane (a twin to mine) as a spare!

I'll miss him terribly and I know many of you will too. If anyone is interested let myself, Guy, Mac, Faron, etc. know. We'll decide on a time. Call or e-mail anytime.

Jim Stevens

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