I was saddened to learn of the death Sunday of Loy Brydon, D-12, of a heart attack at his home in Tucson.
Loy was an original member of the Golden Knights and a fierce competitor. But he was also influential in the design of some early sport parachutes, advancing the development of what were, for their time, "high performance" canopies.
I frequented the same bar that Loy did in Tucson during my trips there - owned by a mutual friend. I got to know Loy over the last few years and I am saddened by his death. My condolences and prayers go out to the family. Loy was one of the original 13 Golden Knights and a longtime skydiving competitor.
My condolences to the family, and my thanks to Loy for helping build the sport that we have today. It was always good to talk with him and have a few beverages when we were in Tucson. A round in his honor during our next trip in January is absolutely in order! Blue Skies, Loy . . .
He said he got the idea one day while watching some ski jumpers and thought he could do it better.
I never knew him in the sense of hanging out together, but I saw him at several meets and Golden Knights demos.
I always remembered him as a gruff Army Sergeant about 7 ft tall, so I was stunned when I met him and got to talk to him at one of the old farts reunions.
He was just a little guy!
I guess his personality was about 7 ft tall :-) :-)
I’m sorry to disagree with you Nick, I always respect what you say here, AND it is a bit of semantics on my part, AND I understand what you mean with your post, but….
The brick has been laid, it is not gone and it will always support us as we rise higher. Loy was one of the foundation stones of our sport that brought us to where we are today. In fact he was one of the quiet cornerstones of our sport.
I don’t think I ever met him but I sure as hell knew who he was after I started jumping in 1974. Back in his day there were no “Professional Skydivers” with manufacturer support and DZ sponsorship. It was just a bunch of Army guys trying to push their beliefs and love of the sport through the military bureaucracy.
Loy and his fellow USAPT members made the mold.
I remember seeing a Golden Knight demo in 1969 (Jumping PC’s) and it influenced me so much that I said to myself, from that day at age 13, that I wanted to do that, I wanted to be a skydiver!
I ended up devoting 20+ years of my life to our sport fulltime and it was the most incredible life I could have ever lived!
Thank you Loy!
The brick has been laid, it is not gone and it will always support us.
I should add that Loy was also recipient of the USPA Lifetime Achievement Award:
Quote
In recognition of major contributions to parachuting in the development of equipment, freefall techniques and competition-an original role model of the total skydiver.
He also was fond of riding his BMW bike, and rode it to some reunions in recent years. HW
(This post was edited by howardwhite on Oct 28, 2009, 5:32 AM)
Loy Brydon, 77, died unexpectedly October 25, 2009 at his home in Tucson, Arizona. Loy is survived by his children Kenny, Kevin, Ty and Hugh (Patti), grandchildren Beth, David, Stephanie and Rosemary, great granddaughter Tristin and his siblings Beverly Sanderson & Lee Brydon. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Mark. He will be missed by all, including Sarah, his Weimariner and Tee Taylor, his ex-wife and best friend.
Loy was a career soldier, a member of the Green Berets, and served in Korea and Viet Nam, receiving the purple heart as well as other awards. He was a founding member of the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and spent many years competing and making demonstration jumps around the world. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Parachute Association for his many contributions in parachuting design and techniques. He loved his BMW motorcycles and rode every day.
Services will be held Friday, October 30th at 2p.m. at Evergreen Mortuary. His family asks in lieu of flowers, donations are sent in Loy's name to the the National Skydiving Museum,5401 Southpoint Centre Blvd.,Fredericksburg, VA 22407
His "ex-wife and best friend," Tee Taylor, was herself a skydiving champion in the early 60s.
I hope that USPA does something deserving of this true pioneer. Actually, I think that Loy owns the title of Skydiving Pioneer and 2nd place is a long, long way behind.
I think most of us thought he would live to be a 100.
I take some pride in having his signature in one of my logbooks.
JerryBaumchen
PS) A couple of years ago I was having lunch with Jack Ady ( D-103 & '64 Natl Champ ) and Jack was convinced that Loy's blood ran Army green and not red like the rest of us.
Loy Brydon.jpg
