Arender, H. L. (Jim), 73
November 2012

Arender, H. L. (Jim), 73, formerly of Santa Fe, NM, died November 14, 2012 at the Veterans Hospital in Bay Pines, Florida. Born in Stillwater, OK, Jim was an Army Veteran, serving as a Sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was a member of the U.S. Army Parachute Team and was a World Champion parachutist.

François (Frank) Xavier Chevrier
September 2012

François (Frank) Xavier Chevrier, 81, President of FXC Corporation and Guardian Parachute, passed away suddenly on September 17, 2012.

For over 60 years, Frank had been very active in the military life support equipment industry.

Frank, from Montreal, Canada, joined the Canadian Air Force in his teens. He came to the U.S.A. in 1962 and began working in the aerospace industry in Southern California.

John Coppe
August 2012

Mr. John Coppe, 73, passed away on August 28, 2012 at Martin Hospital in Stuart, Florida. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Coppe had previously lived in Indiantown, as well as Jensen Beach, Florida for the past forty years.

Gene Paul Thacker
August 2012

Gene Paul Thacker passed away early August 20th. The National Skydiving Museum and the entire skydiving community has truly lost a true icon of the sport—museum trustee, family man, competitor, DZO, Hall of Fame member, friend and so much more. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Thacker family and the entire Raeford clan.

Fredericksburg, VA…Seven more sport parachutists will be inducted into the National Skydiving Museum Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Eloy, Arizona the weekend of November 9, 2012. Parachute enthusiasts from around the world will attend.

Those being inducted are Carl Boenish, CA (posthumous); Bob Buquor, CA (posthumous); Claude Gillard, Australia; Craig Girard, AZ & Dubai; Dan Poynter, CA; and Muriel Simbro, CA/Hank Simbro, CA (posthumous).

The Hall of Fame recognizes and honors those, who through leadership, innovation, and/or outstanding achievements have defined, promoted, inspired, and advanced skydiving at the highest and sustained levels in the past, present and for future generations of skydivers. After two ceremonies on the East Coast, the National Skydiving Museum and the Hall of Fame celebration heads west to the legendary Skydive Arizona in Eloy.

Read more >>

Bill Newell
2012

Bill Newell, the founder of the Star Crest Recipient Awards, passed away August 5, 2012. Throughout his battle with cancer, his daughter Rachael Newell was by his side and his son Danny was with him at the very end. He was 71 years old.

We took advantage of the beautiful spring weather in Virginia to clean up museum property and ready it for construction.

Howard White
1937-2012

Howie began jumping at Orange Sport Parachuting Center (later Jumptown) in 1965 and soon joined the instruction staff.

Museum treasurer Curt Curtis (left) is presented with the Stefan Banic Gold Medal for his many contributions to parachuting by fellow trustee Christopher Needels. The Stefan Banic Foundation award is named in honor of Slovak American Stefan Banic, an early parachute designer.

On Sunday, November 20, 2011 at Skydive Elsinore, Pat Moorehead celebrated his 80^th birthday by making 80 jumps!  It was an extra special day for the National Skydiving Museum as all donations collected for the event went to the museum's building fund.