Emil Kindelberger - Beaver Valley Sky Divers

[PalletMan 0]

Back in March, Emil Kindelberger (DZO/pilot at Beaver Valley Sky Divers) had been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Since then, he’s been in and out of the hospital getting better and worse. Today I received word that he passed away around 3am this morning. He was 84 years old.

Funeral info from Cecil:

THE VIEWING WILL BE AT TODD'S IN BEAVER ON THIRD STREET (THE MAIN DRAG)

WED. 2 TO 4 & 7 TO 9

SERVICE @ TODD'S ON THURSDAY 11:00 AM

I AM TRYING TO GET THE TURNERS FOR A HALL FOR 12:00 ON THURSDAY.

COULD YOU ASK EVERYONE TO BRING A COVERED DISH FOR THUSDAY. WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH EMIL LIKED HIS HOLIDAY PICNICS.

PLEASE ASK EVERYONE TO CALL ANY OF THE JUMPERS AND FRIENDS THAT ARE NOT ON THE EMIAL. THANK YOU

--Art

[jonstark 8]

Emil flew my first jump. I was sitting student and he had that twinkle in his eye knowing that I was scared shitless. He gave me a snaggletoothed grin and off we went. I clawed my way out onto the strut and was struck by the smell of altitude and avgas. I knew right then and there I would someday have to have a Cessna 180.

Emil and his wife busted me for smoking pot on my first night jump but I got to go anyway after protesting that I was NOT high, just tired. (bullshit) I slept many nights on the dusty sofas of the clubhouse and was there to wait out another day of scudding clouds on many occasions. The stories, laughter, Strohs firebrewed Bohemians and comeraderie were what made Emil tick. He was Beaver Valley and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Who else would kneel in the Beaver muck with a stilson wrench to work on the tailwheel of 22Charlie then fly another dozen or so loads in the cold.

I saw him a few years ago and about shat. He had teeth! Still had that silly laugh but now he had choppers. Hardly knew the man.

As I said, I knew I would have to have a Cessna 180 some day after my first jump out of one. I finally got it and have looked forward to visiting Emil at his strip since. I am truly bummed that this will not happen. I will buzz the place tho and remember the man responsible for me NOT going into small aircraft maintenance as a career. Thanks to Emil and his whacking on the beat-up Cessnas I decided to get into business jets instead.

I'll be with you guys on Thursday in spirit if not in the flesh.

jon stark

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

Met Emil many moons ago at Beaver Valley; a crusty old fart if one ever lived.

He gave a lot to skydiving in his part of the world.

Jerry