Nov 14, 2012, 4:10 PM
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Jim Arender
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Another legendary ‘pioneer’ has left us. Early 1960’s style and accuracy competitor Jim Arender (1960 World Champion in Style & 1962 Mens World Champion Overall) D-13 is gone. Fly free, my friend, fly free.
Arender did a photo ad for the major print media in '63, Camel cigarettes. Was in Post and Life magazines. He wore a black pioneer jumpsuit with a rectangular orange patch on his right knee area. I was an impressionable 16 year old novice jumper, soon sporting my own black jumpsuit....with orange patch on my left knee, just to be different. JA avoided jumping with others, didn't want anyone watching his tight frop position while practicing for his style events.
Jerry, I was surprised no one at USPA knew that Jim had passed but when I gave it some thought it didn't seem so surprising. As a 70-something, no longer active parachutist he certainly was no longer in the spotlight. I'm glad USPA will run an article in the April edition. We old-timers remember the old-timers.
Arender did a photo ad for the major print media in '63, Camel cigarettes.
When I was very young, I was in Times Square New York and there right above me was Jim smoking a Camel and blowing smoke rings. The smoke rings were about 20 feet in diameter and came from a billboard which pictured Jim in his jump suit. I was impressed. I finally met Jim at the World meet in Gap and got to know my hero. I wish I could find the pictures we took then. If I do I will post one.
