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Goodby Skinnyshrek

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We were all jumping and partying on the beach at Destin, FL one weekend. My wife had never met Lee so I told her to go over to him and ask him if he was the one I called "fat bastard".

She did and Lee turned around with that big shit-eating grin and asked her "are you the one he calls a dirty cunt". She realized I had set her up and she started laughing her ass off and I was rolling in the sand. :D

Damn good memories. :)

"I'm not a gynecologist but I will take a look at it"
RB #1295, Smokey Sister #1, HellFish #658, Dirty Sanchez #194, Muff Brothers #3834, POPS #9614, Orfun Foster-Parent?"

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These made me smile...


I remember the day that those pictures were shot and I remember that jump well. In fact, I remember it even more because Lee was kind enough to give me a copy of the video later.

Seems that Lee touched so many lives. My memories of Lee are few, but all are awesome ones that make me smile to think back on.

Brandy, I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine what you must be going through right now. Take care of yourself.

BK

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I would like to tell Brandy, Lee's family, and all his friends about the first time I met Lee.

I did my first tandem at the first Dublin Boogie, March 2004. I met a lot of people, but didn't really "know" anyone. During that summer, my wife, Jean, and I did 3 tandems each. We got to know Chris Spence real well during this time.

Being a Dublin local, I was happy to help out at the 2005 Dublin Boogie. Spence called early in the week to say he and Lee were on their way to the airport and asked me to meet them there. We got Lee's camper set up and he asked me about my skydives, if I had video, etc. He asked if they were on video. I told him they were on tapes. He told me to go home and get all of them, the wife's too, and he'd put them on a DVD for me. "No charge, Mate", he said. I figured the least I could do is get him a 12 pk of Newcastle. ;)

Come Friday morning, the weather was crap while Jean & I did the FJC. As the weather got better, Lee offered to do video on my AFF Level 1, again "No charge, Mate". He did more than just the jump, He shot video of me the whole time, getting geared up, last minute instructions, going to the plane, etc. All of it!

I can't tell you how many times I've watched that video!

That was Lee, a great guy! I can't remember how many times I heard him say, or read that he wrote, "Hell, I'll shoot the video free." B| He loved to video skydives.

Thanks, Lee! You will be missed, my friend.

Don

I am NOT being loud.
I'm being enthusiastic!

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My Lee Story:

Many of you didn't know there was a time when Lee jumped at another dz (gasp), he was developing all the great things that made him Lee. A lot of us missed him when he was gone.

Soooo we have about a 11 way going out of the King Air, believe it or not ol fat ass is sitting in the back to film a tandem. As the 11 way heads out there was a slight pause by the 11th person (okay it was maybe more than slight....but if your going to be last you might as well make it a really long dive) Lee see's what he thinks to be the last one out and sticks his head out to video the dive - while trying out his brand new video sight. He was real proud of it, and more than a little pissed as I forced myself out the door, catching the sight on my suit and cleanly ripping it right off. Who would have thought these things cost so much???:P

Lee lands and starts cussing and screaming at me, I look right at the big fucker and say with my best "I'm not scared of you but I am voice" FUCK YOU DUMB ASS. Lee looks at me, smiles and says in a calm voice "that was dumb wasn't it?"

We had several beers that night.......

The last time I saw him was at Bob's thing in Deland. He always tried to get me to come to the farm and see him..... I blew that one.

Peace

Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

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I wish I could be at the Farm this weekend..
A funny story I will forever treasure!!
I saw Lee and talked to him pretty regularly he did the landscaping where I worked. The second to the last time I saw him left me with a laugh that I giggled about every time I thought about coming to the farm (which is all the time) and I am so thankful that I have this memory of Lee. Considering I found out about the farm from Andy who was working for Lee.. never knew lee was a skydiver until that day although I knew him for more than a year. Lee convinced me to do my AFF there.. and "I'll do your video for free.. I'll call Hans and set it up..give me a call and remind me. I'll see you there" Turned out he couldn't come that weekend but he did make my video happen. Anyway I was walking into work and Lee was on the back of his trailer finishing loading up his equipment and crew at O'Dark thirty one morning and I yelled "Hey Lee" and threw myself into an arch and Lee.. in a typical Lee style gave me the "your such a fuckin' retard look" made fun of me and imitated me and said "Hey come on up to the Farm this weekend!". I will never forget his great big smile and that look he gave me. Whenever he called work he was also referred to as LAY cuz the first time he called after I started working there he asked for my boss and said it was "lay" I said who? "lay" who "lay" who" LAY THE LAWN GUY" OOOH LEE.. haha from that day on when he called I intentionally called him Lay.. only on the phone though..

Lee I will miss you...
~}{eather
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive. ~ Oriah Mountain Dreamer

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What a wonderful show of support and respect for Lee! Just like Lee, his family is hard not to gravitate to. It was easy to see where his big heart and generous ways came from. I am proud to be apart of this great skydiving family and the Farm. The way everyone came together told stories, shared our love and supported the family ANY way we could. Hopefully in some small way we helped those who loved Lee the most get through this difficult time. Blaine said it best when he said the world is a better place because of him.

May we take away the lessons he taught so well... give to those who do not have. Tell that, in which no one else has the guts to. Live each day to the fullest knowing there is no time limit on life. Smile and laugh all you can for in the end, it is what you want to be remembered for the most!

Miss you much!!

Muff Brother # 3883, SCR # 14796 ICD # 1 - Pres.
Yeah, I noticed and I think it's funny!

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Lee,
I can tell you touched the hearts of so many people by reading this thread. I only knew you for one weekend yet I feel that I knew you much longer.

Here's my story...
My son was editing videos for Lee at our boogie in Nebraska. Lee didn't want to lug his editing stuff along and would rather pay someone than to take it home and do it later. (wanted the tandem jumpers to get their memories right away) Now my son is only used to a couple of videos per weekend so editing at a boogie was quite a shock to him. So when the editing got backed up all he would hear from Lee was "no worries mate" And to a nervous 14 year old, that meant alot. He always had a bright smile for my son. I know he will be missed.

Blue Skies my Friend

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I met Lee 2 years ago. He was instantly likeable. The jump that day was tragic, and old news, but that day and every day since, I have seen what Lee was made of. He was caring, funny, crass, and lovable. Not to mention English.

I have quite a few good memories of Lee, but that first time we met really stuck with me.

Our friend Bo was killed and Lee was the camera man on the jump. Needless to say our little group was devasted. At some point, Lee walked over in the hanger to give us news. His eyes were as red as I have ever seen anybody's, and I have seen a lot of red eyes. I am pretty sure he had been crying for the some time.

Anyway, his news was that Bo's body had been found naked in the woods. Then he proceeded to tell us "This was Bo's first tailgate jump, his first solo jump, and his first naked jump. Some people will do anything to get out of a beer debt."

I don't think think I have ever laughed that deeply in my life. But somehow it was just the right thing at the right time. I figure that Lee is collecting that beer debt right about now, downing a most excellent brew with Bo. It would be just like the bastard to drink it all before the rest of us get there.

see you later buddy
qoq

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not many folks know

Lee used bluster,crudeness to cover up the fact that he was so very careing and really a teddy bear inside

it was a defense thing to act the opposite of how he really was

I am proud to have considered Lee a friend

..
59 YEARS,OVERWEIGHT,BALDIND,X-GRUNT
LAST MIL. JUMP VIET-NAM(QUAN-TRI)
www.dzmemories.com

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Hey Bob.. not to contradict you because I know what you're saying.. but I think everyone knew that. Thats why we couldnt help but love being around him. Its hard not to love someone with such a big heart. He had fun getting a rise out of people, and would keep prodding until he made them laugh. He liked to know what was going on with everyone.. not only because he gossiped like a little girl :D, but because he cared. He was happy, and he wanted his friends to be happy.

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Sorry it is late ... I wanted to get something done befpre his celebration at the Farm, but power was out in my home for days.

If I have Lee's birth year wrong let me know and I will adjust. This strip will be on DZ comic as well.

SteveO

I sure will miss my Cowboy-Redskins bets with Lee every year. :(


steveOrino

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I met Lee in Monroe, GA back in 1996. Our appreciation of good beer and dark, dry humor made us instant friends. Since we worked on the same construction crew and spent our weekends at the DZ, Lee and I were around each other 7 days a week.

I have been using the phrase, "Be rude not to." ever since.

Our crew used to meet to get paid most Fridays at the Crazy Horse Saloon in Atlanta. For those of you that do not know, the Crazy Horse is a full nudity 'gentlemen's club' that had a $5 steak lunch on Fridays. Lee and I would choose a table in the back corner of the room away from our workmates and the entertainment:
I, because I couldn't afford to stuff dollars in a dancers garter and my wife insisted I not participate.
Lee, because, in his words, "I don't want that whore shaking her nasty cunt over my food!"

That's something else Lee and I share...no mincing of the words. What you see is what you get and we'll say anything to anybody.

I had not seen him much over the past few years, except for his trips to Deland. Seeing Lee was always a treat. It's sad that I'll not get to see him again.

My condolences to his wife and family.

Mikey

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I have been using the phrase, "Be rude not to." ever since.



I've been thinking the same thing as I read through this entire thread. "Be rude not to" and "While you're down there" are two phrases I picked up from Lee and make me think about him every time I use them.

Brandy, I am so sorry for your loss. I was just thinking about you two on Friday during my drive from Texas to Georgia. I was going to be heading through the Florida panhandle and thought I'd give y'all a call to grab a drink but then changed my travel plans at the last minute.

I've always appreciated the big smile and "what's up" from both of you when showing up for a visit at the Farm after being gone for a couple years. You will be in my thoughts.

Love,
jason/flyingj
Killing threads since 2004.

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Quote



I have been using the phrase, "Be rude not to." ever since.



I've been thinking the same thing as I read through this entire thread. "Be rude not to" and "While you're down there" are two phrases I picked up from Lee and make me think about him every time I use them.

Brandy, I am so sorry for your loss. I was just thinking about you two on Friday during my drive from Texas to Georgia. I was going to be heading through the Florida panhandle and thought I'd give y'all a call to grab a drink but then changed my travel plans at the last minute.

I've always appreciated the big smile and "what's up" from both of you when showing up for a visit at the Farm after being gone for a couple years. You will be in my thoughts.

Love,
jason/flyingj


Thanks J.
It is so hard to understand why someone had to take his life. I know I will probably never know.:(
-----------------
I love and Miss you so much Honey!
Orfun #3 ~ Darla

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to tanya and clay i want to send a very big hug to and and a big thank you for all you did for us all ,and for all lees and brandysfriends who havedone so much,i cant tell u all how much it means to usto know how much lee meant to u all,its natural for lisa and ourselves to love him ,he was a special son and brother and uncle ,and husband to brandy ,you have all been so kind and thoughtfull it warms our hearts ,truly it does ,i will keep in toutch from time to time ,i will try and pick the good days so im not depressing everybody,but im afraidmy bad days are ,,well total shit to say the least ,lots of love to u all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx from shreks little mum ,

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Wish I could of been there this weekend. Suns just gone down and i've raised more than a few.

Miss you ya fat cunt. So very much.



You didn't miss anything this weekend. They postponed the ash dive to June. You'd think they finally picked a weekend that the weather would cooperate!! :P

But yeah, I miss the fat cunt too.
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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In anticipation of the ash dive for Lee on Sunday Jan 20th, I stayed up late putting the finishing touches on a new ashbag design.

In October 2004 I made an ashbag for my old friend and longtime co-worker Chris Martin. After deploying Chris' ashes, Beezy Shaw (1st jump with me same load 1972 and co-worker for more than 20 years) suggested that I try to vent the next ashbag a little better than Chris'. Little could I imagine that the next ashbag I would make would be for Beezy himself in October 2007.

While Beezy's ash deployment went well, there were still some considerations and improvements to be made for future ashbags. Now, my ashbag for Skinnyshrek is by far the best design yet.

I really didn't know I was destined to be an ashbag designer (or in Lee's case, an ash-pod designer) but an incredible amount of love, thought, and innovation has gone into the development of the perfect launching pad for our friends' final exits into the wild blue yonder. Blue Skies Skinny'. As it turns out (weather), we'll do it later in the year.

George Galloway
MPR SBC 2666652 TRS

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