I don't want to be the one that write this but I found out early this morning that Ron Andre passed away, in his sleep, from a heart attack or stroke.
I LOVED that guy. He took me under his wing and did his best to keep me out of trouble when I went to Thailand!
He let me stay in his BEAUTIFUL house for 6 weeks. He taught me so so much about Thailand and life!
I was just talking to him 1 week ago and asked him to do me a huge favor over there and he did it that next hour!!
I first met him in Deland, FL. He used to do the world record RW jumps with Roger Nelson and my father used to jump with him on those jumps!
MAN, He was only 60! He live the life of a pure ROCKSTAR! Dam it!!!
I was going to be staying with him next month and start 'running' with him again! I have never met a 60 year old that can party more than that brilliant man!
He was RON, but he always made me laugh. His best quality was his heart! He had the biggest heart, would do anything for ya!
I'm so going to miss you my friend! I'll never forget that 1st night at your house, you hooked me up and you said "......................................................................... it's Thailand, live it up! That's why I'm here! and because of him, I'm going to try and do what he always told me to do, "work hard, play harder and fuck like there is not tomorrow" I'll be moving to Thailand to follow in his footsteps some time in the future!
LOVE YOU RON ANDRE!! You made my Thailand experience what it was... The best experience of my life!!!
Re: [clint] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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OMG....This is horrible!!! Ron was the only person who could tell Scotty to Shut up and Scotty would actually listen! I dread going home and telling Scotty that Ron has passed. BSBD Brother Ron, Tami
Re: [clint] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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I was bitching all last week, about losing skydiving friends... Inside, I was hoping that it was like commercial airline crashes - a bunch happen, and then it is 'quite' again. Then yesterday, I heard from my dear friend in Peru. She knew I had a lot of my plate these past few days, and apologized for having to add to it.... It's so weird, too. I was looking at an old, candid shot from Z-Hills, when I was at the mini-storage Thursday. He was so happy in it. That was back in '87. We met in Z-Hills, in '85. This small, wild, bundle of skydiving energy! Watching him do team practice on 'chunk' exits was so entertaining! I think it was 10-ways, with Ron hidden among the other nine bodies, only his gripping hand showing. He made me realise that maybe I could make my living in the stock market, and skydive all I wanted, because of it. He and Buddy were quite a pair, out there in the 'back 40'. Ahhh, for the good, ol' days.... Thanks Ron, for forgiving my 'bad press' moment of '95. I was so happy, and amazed, when you finally came up to me at the grocery store in Deland, and said, "All is forgiven, Brother. Don't fuck up, again!". Like you, Clint, Thailand was the last place I got to see him. He was so very happy, bubbling with the old energy again.
Re: [meakins] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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I remember when Ron first started coming to the DZ in Sandwich. He learned to skydive with us and then threw his old life out the door. He became a "Bag" and never seemed to run out of energy. So much of that old crew is gone now so I know he'll have plenty friends to party with again...
I've been meaning to fined the time to go visit him but as we all know life just seems to get inthe way sometimes I gotta quit letting that happen...
Re: [Capt36] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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..................! Watching him do team practice on 'chunk' exits was so entertaining! I think it was 10-ways, with Ron hidden among the other nine bodies, only his gripping hand showing..............
That was some great stuff. During Turkey Meet at ZHills about 1994 our 10-way team was often on the plane behind Ron's team (Mike Woods team) as they launched their no-show 10-way. Ron was backed up against the starboard wall and his feet just came off the floor and he flew out of the door as they exited. Amazing sight! As we lined up for our exit you could see the perfect 10-way star dropping away. We and the other teams were just competing for 1st-loser finish!
Re: [barnesrf] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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Ron Andre , my dear friend of 40 years lived a full life...maybe two or three. I just found out and wanted to reach out to his skydiver friends in this sad moment. I have his brother"s contact info. You can contact me if you want that. I and his huge circle of non-skydiver friends will also miss him. He has told us many many stories about his sky diving friends....and his love of the sport
Blue Skys to my buddy and to his sky diving friends he left behind
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I only know Ron from Phuket, I'm not a jumper, but I know I was lucky to be considered a friend.
I met him at Rum Jungle, I was talking about the first big jump over bangkok in '99...
I was fortunate to know him for a few years, and I miss him terribly, but I also know that there was one great generous (short) guy who lived life to the full.
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Well, it took several old computers, harddrives, backups, and recovery software.... But, I found the really nice picture of Ron & the Thai school kids photo, circa '05!
This is the Ron that we all cared so much about...
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There are those "fork in the road" times of life. For Phil and his lifelong buddy, the man the kids know as "Uncle Ronnie" it came when Phil moved to an isolated spot in Montana and Ronnie cashed in his holdings in Florida and moved to Thailand.
Ronnie and Phil were the boyhood buddies who stayed close even at wild distances. I think each person who knew Ronnie would have their own story of how he made you feel as if you were the only person on earth. I know I have mine and I know Phil has his. If there are any regrets it is that we let life get in the way of making the journey to see Ronnie on his island in Thailand. Ronnie was Phils friend but early on I knew I had to meet him.
I came late on the Ronnie scene, after all I was Phils third wife. But Ronnie embraced me for who I was as a person first and Phils latest wife second.
It was on a business trip to Florida in the early '90's that I met Phils buddy Ronnie for the first time. I had my young daughter Andrea along as I had planned a side trip to Disneyworld. In a dining room at the Grand Floridian ( a Disney hotel with a Victorian theme) I met the small but well muscled blonde man with the ear to ear grin. He made no secret of checking me out...after all I was his life long friends new wife and besides that Ronnie was a lover of women and so he was appraising me for all of those attributes as well, The three of us hit it off, mostly because there was not one false bone in his body,my body or that of my energetic child. I remember Ronnie holding my hands and commenting that I was a hard working woman (from my tightly nibbled nails and calloused palms). I am sure I made a smart remark but I will always remember his observation that this "business woman" was really a hard working country girl.
Ronnie dropped into our lives many times and we went to see him in DeLand as well. I remember climbing a motorhome to watch the divers at the dropzone and getting so high I was afraid to climb down. I was fascinated by his little camper with the fake grass and swimming pool set up. Another trip to Florida and we trekked through his land where he planned to build his home...if only the endangered little turtles would allow it! Ronnie stayed with us in CA whenever he was flying by. Pictures from Phils 50th are still classic especially those chronicling how Ronnie could balance on one leg of a lawn chair with my best crystal goblet in his hand and never spill a drop. We were not so lucky that evening when we burnt our "appetizer" in the microwave! But Ronnie laughed off losses (all but one). Adventures of Ronnie would come our way through an email every six months or so and they always shared his latest exploits as an ex-Patriot.
Ronnie (in our world) you belonged to Phil and, indeed, I am sure you belonged to everyone you met (in their hearts and minds as that is how you made people feel)......and then again you belonged to no one . 60 was way too young to go! Sweet dreams sky prince.....and from a Willie Nelson song "You show me your tongue and I'll show you mine"
May you find a thousand virgins waiting for you in heaven ready to introduce you to their older experienced sisters!!!
Re: [clint] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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Thank you everyone, for the kind words and great stories about my Uncle Ron. I have always been so amazed by him and his lifestyle, and I'm proud to call him my uncle. Our family has created a website where you can view photos, share stories, and connect with others who knew him: http://www.imorial.com/ronandre/
Thank you for all your love and support. It's so nice to hear about him from the people who knew him best.
Re: [k.andre] RIP Ron Andre 'The Pitbull'
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Passion . . . energy . . . love . . . life! Ron had them all (in abundance) and shared them freely with all of us that were fortunate enough to know him. Mike and Patty Woods gave us the sad news at ZHills yesterday. But, there was work to do and a tandem student ready to jump. She could see the pause that I took after hearing the news, but the jump was great, and afterwards, while not fully appreciating the gravity of our loss, went to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and toasted Ron who she knew flew with us. Even from "up there" Ron's spirit is still positively impacting us!
Patty is making plans for a ZHills (and I think Deland too) ash jump, and in true Ron fashion, I can only imagine the party! In fact, probably need to start cleansing/purging the liver now!
We'll miss you, brother! Blue Skies to all of our friends you've joined on the ultimate Big Way!
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To all of Ron's friends. There will be two memorial skydives made for Ron. The 1st will be in Deland on December 5th. The 2nd will be in Zephyrhills on December 6. Patty Woods will be organizing the loads and celebration for Ron at both DZ's. My name is 'JJ Fermanis' and I was #9 on XTZ 10-Way. Ron road my back over 150 times in slot #10 and I never let him hit the door!!!! I will miss him dearly!! I can run off at the mouth for hours about all the fun times we had, as I am sure so can hundreds of other jumpers that had thier lives touched by Ron. He was a contagious habit that filled a lot of lives...
Blue Skies everyone. Enjoy those you love before they go away... As we will all surerly get to the great boogie in the sky............
I have known Ron for over 20 years. He was a great friend with a big heart. He will be missed by many. Blue Skies my firend. 
Ron with school kids.JPG
To all of Ron's friends. There will be two memorial skydives made for Ron. The 1st will be in Deland on December 5th. The 2nd will be in Zephyrhills on December 6. Patty Woods will be organizing the loads and celebration for Ron at both DZ's. My name is 'JJ Fermanis' and I was #9 on XTZ 10-Way. Ron road my back over 150 times in slot #10 and I never let him hit the door!!!! I will miss him dearly!! I can run off at the mouth for hours about all the fun times we had, as I am sure so can hundreds of other jumpers that had thier lives touched by Ron. He was a contagious habit that filled a lot of lives... 
