Author:
Those of us who operate heavy equipment, farm equipment, machinery of any kind, including trucks and flying understand the possibility of death from associating with massive moving steel. Normal people take for granted the vehicle they use will operate in an acceptable manner. Growing up on a farm, I knew from a very early age when I climbed on that tractor (age 5) and daddy sent me out to the field with a plow, disk, or cultivator, that piece of machinery was lethal to everything it ran over. During my school years I personally knew friends and other farm kids who came up broken or missing an arm or other body parts because they got careless. They were lucky. I knew three who their tractors killed them. I started with our own kids warning them about farm equipment. Each piece of equipment is designed to pull crops and things through it to clean it, strip it, or chop it up. It treats crops and people the same way if it gets hold of you. THINK! When around machinery.
Jim was a machinist, pilot, aircraft mechanic, Mechanical Engineer, father, husband, and a good friend. I loved him with all my heart even if he was married. He thought I was insane for giving up airplanes for gyrocopters. We would banter about what was safe.
Saturday, yesterday, Jim was flying with a friend in a kit plane. That is a plane one orders from the factory and then assembles themselves. They both died when it went down. I don't understand? Jim understood planes and plane construction better than anyone as he WAS an experienced Airframe and Powerplant mechanic. If there was a defect in factory or kit planes Jim was the one who would find it.
Jim, it is getting pretty damn thin in friends on this end. Leave the co-pilot seat open for me. I'll be ready for my check ride soon enough.
always
Barbie Lee
Comments
I'm sorry for your loss, hon.
hugggles.
sorry to hear that but died
sorry to hear that but died doing what he what he loved to do.
Sorry,
to hear your sad news.
Angharad
I'm sorry for the loss
... what about that co-pilot seat? As someone has said "it is getting pretty damn thin in friends on this end".
Sorry for your hurt, and Jim's family's too
That vacant seat will wait, I am sure, and autogyros are friendlier than power harrows.
Teri Ann
"Reach for the sun."
I send my ...
... deepest sympathies.
Julia
So sad.
It seems that, as one grows older, that all the things one used to have, friends, family, pets, other stuff, eventually leave one. Each loss lessens us and it gets to the point where one can't imagine losing one more...and yet, it keeps happening. It's part of the human experience and can't be avoided, no matter how hard one tries.
All of us have experienced this phenomenon, but the shared experience doesn't make it any easier to deal with the losses. I'm SO sorry for your recent loss Barbie, and I wish there was something I could say or do to make it easier for you, but I know that nothing I can say or do will ease the pain.
Try to understand that nothing anyone has, remains after they are gone... save the memories of who and how they were. The love for a friend or family member is special and IF you can, always remember them, remember the good times.
Honor those memories. Make the times and your life better because that will honor the person who is gone. I don't know if there is anything past death... some other, better life. Heck I don't know what I believe, religion-wise except that I do believe in God, and I can't imagine that God would place limits on his creation of human beings. Maybe there is something after death, but no one knows for sure.
So honor your friend. Honor his life and your friendship with him. Make your life something he would have been proud of you for. In that way, you keep his memory alive in you. You're a talented, good person Barbie, and I do feel your loss.
I have nothing else to give you save for virtual hugs, but I have gobs of those so take as many as you need or want.
R.I.P. Jim.
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
All my love
My Dearest Catherine,
Where do I begin? I am one of those whom God recycled. I spent many months dying when I was sixteen. My body lost sixty two pounds which I didn't have to lose. For several final weeks, God and I had several conversations, The last one He gave me a choice of staying or coming back. Everyone is having to put up with my decision. I don't need to take God is real on blind faith. Blessed are those who do. Nor do I have to wonder if we have more lives and more chances to get these mortal lives right? Some return to learn, others to correct things, some to teach and share.
Dozens of my family and friends are waiting, each holding a piece of my heart I willingly gave as I shared this mortal life with them. When I join them my heart still won't be whole for pieces of it will be left with those I love whose time to leave this mortal world once more, have yet to join us. Almost every day I have begged God to recycle me. Yet, I still believe with all my heart this has been one blessed ride. And every day I thank Him for this life and this day. God believes in me. I've seen and experienced things in this mortal life most can't believe or don't want to believe. I came back with no pearls of wisdom except one. Have Faith.
All my love
Barbie Lee
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl