Blue Skies Jose Connelly (Jan. 26, 1971 - June 21, 2008)

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Do you know that song, Only the Good Die Young, by Billy Joel? Well listening to that song the other day made me think of Jose. What a vibrant, energetic, fun guy to be around. Jose was very popular at our Drop Zone and very well liked by many. He was always one of my favorite people and I can still remember him coming out to Quantum Leap to make his first skydive. I taught his First Jump Course and took him on his first skydive and we instantly bonded as friends. It was funny because he went so far as to ask manifest for my "digits". Yes, he was a bit cocky now and then but that was Jose. He had a great personality and he will be missed by so many people.

Jose was killed in Bowling Green, Missouri on Saturday June 21st when he struck the horizontal stabilizer of the Beech 99 after exiting the airplane. This tragic event left us without yet one more good friend who originated at Quantum Leap Skydiving Center.

He not only was a good looking guy and full of life but he was also a heck of a lot of fun to be around. I for one will miss him dearly.

I am trying to dig up some skydiving pictures of him to post, but in the meantime, here are some family pictures sent to me by his brother in law Pete.

Blue skies Jose, I will miss not sharing any more good times with you in the future. Your death leaves me feeling so sad. I wish for peace and strength for the Connelly family and to send my sincerest condolences.

The family has expressed an interest in spreading Jose's ashes from the air in freefall. I think the best place to do this will be at Bowling Green, MO. Anyone wishing to participate who knew and cared about Jose please contact me at [email protected].

OK, I tried to upload the photos but they are too large. I will have to upload them in a separate post after I find Jimmy Tavino or anyone else who can downsize my photos. If anyone has this program or can help me out with that please let me know. Thanks and blue skies.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[Kimberleysdad 0]

When my daughter, Kimberley was involved in an accident a couple of years ago in Missouri, the sky diving community opened its heart to us when we came over from Australia. One of the people who showed us so much love and support was Jose. My now son-in-law, wouldnt leave Kimberleys side while she was in hospital. Jose convinced Micah that he needed a break and took hum for a float down a river. That was typical of Jose's nature. If you guys want to have the ultimate freefall, find a way to jump into the depth of love and care that you all exhibit. That is without end.

[VisionAir 0]

Here are Jen's pictures

BSBD Jose

Huh?!? What cloud?!? Oh that!!! That's just Industrial Haze
Alex M.

[PeteK 0]

Thank you all so much for the kind words about Jose!

He has been both my brother in law and one of my best friends for more than 10 years and I'm deeply saddened by his passing. I can't tell you how much he will be missed by his entire family.

We are having a service for him 2:00 this Thursday (6/24/08) at:
St. Mark's Presbyterian Church
http://www.stmark-pcusa.org/308218.ihtml
601 Claymont Dr
Ballwin, MO 63011-2443

Afterwards, around 3:30 we will all meet for food and drinks at Fandangos. They have been a sponsor of Jose's soccer team for years and have graciously provided their side room just for us. There will be food and an open bar provided, which I’m sure is exactly how Jose would have wanted it.

Fandango’s
http://www.fandangosstlouis.com/
2940 Dougherty Ferry Rd.
Valley Park, MO 63122

Please feel free to join us as we celebrate the life that Jose lived!

- Pete

- Pete (Jose's brother-in-law)

Tribute page to Jose:
http://www.theknese.com/pages/jose-connelly.php

[gcoop 0]

Jose was so much fun to be around!! He always knew what to say to bring a smile to my face, to help me know that I was an important friend to him. He was caring and kind, witty, fun and always had a great story to share. I will miss him.

Eternal blue skies, Jose. Your friendship meant more to me than you will ever know. Thanks for seeing me through one of the hardest times in my life.

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

I have some more pictures of Jose to share with you all... Man, this is really tough.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[Bluskies83 0]

Jose was someone who could just make you smile. Wheter he was doing something goofy (like buying a rooster as a DZ mascot) or just being his normal, laid back self, it was always a pleasure to have Jose around the DZ. Just a couple weeks ago Jose chased down my main and freebag for me - we had plans to go out for the monster margarita I owe him Saturday night. I miss ya Jose, I'm glad I got to know you and jump with you, and I'll never forget you.

[PeteK 0]

Just to correct my earlier post, the service for Jose is Thursday 6/26/08.

Thanks again everyone for your kind words! I've really enjoyed reading them!

- Pete (Jose's brother-in-law)

Tribute page to Jose:
http://www.theknese.com/pages/jose-connelly.php

[PeteK 0]

I thought I would post this link to Jose's obit.

The photo was taken at his sister's wedding last year.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/news/stlouiscitycounty/story/1081661d6961beec86257472004c5b9d?OpenDocument

I have also put together a memorial page on my personal site.
http://www.theknese.com/pages/jose-connelly.php

- Pete (Jose's brother-in-law)

Tribute page to Jose:
http://www.theknese.com/pages/jose-connelly.php

[patriotssoccer 0]

Jose was one of my best friends. I played soccer against him for about 10 years...scored a lot of goals on him :). For the past 5 years or so I was on his team, The Fandango's Patriots. It was so much fun battling with him against the younger and faster players. When I was feeling too old and slow, he would (lie to me) and say I was still as good, if not better, than those young punks. I've seen him make some unbelievable saves!

He LOVED sky diving as you all know. Not a week would go by without him describing his past weekends jumps. I can picture him standing on 1 foot or actually laying on the floor so he could show us how he would position himself to get more speed when diving.

I remember him playing soccer on my street with my kids. He taught them tricks and showed off a little bit. I could go on and on, but I wont.

Blue skies my friend. I wish we could have had 1 more board meeting.
Jason

[Shazbot 0]

Whether it was skydiving, riding the golf cart down the runway, or just joking with the girl in the McDonald’s drive through window, Jose was always a blast to hang out with. I will miss his stories and his sense of humor. I will miss jumping with him. He made the dropzone a better place. Blue skies, my friend.

[ogato 0]

The last time I saw Jose was over seven years ago.

From the moment I got the call, I have come to miss him more with each snippet memory and image I manage to retrieve from the past. It’s all coming back to me now. And I must feel only a fraction of the loss of those with more recent memories, of those who expected to see Jose at the next soccer game or weekend jump.

I’ve found happiness in learning that others came to appreciate Jose in the same way I had. I will not be alone in missing his unique spirit - his dimpled charm, optimism and generosity. Yeah, cocky too. But one quickly acquired a taste for that buzz of self-confidence surrounding him. You could both admire it and tease him about it. He could be truly as suave and debonair as James Bond and as ridiculous as Austin Powers.
But people wanted Jose to take them on an adventure and show them his view of the world.

Jose and I played soccer together – the Mexican league, the Premier league, Sprockets and the Patriots. He was one of the best goalies I’ve ever seen and, actually, a great field player too. (Of course, you would never tell him that.) We also did things neither of us would have alone but for the other. He made me tow him at high speed on roller blades behind my mountain bike around Forest Park. I made him go to the Art Museum and read (maybe skim) Scientific American. Jose and I never skydived together but he often talked about wanting to try it. I am not surprised he fell in love with it.

Jose was the reason I met my wife, and as a consequence, the reason I moved to Boston those many years ago. My two sons know of Jose and the role he played in my life.
Through the many pictures and tributes to Jose, I can see that he continued to touch others and share his unique passion for life during those missed years. From what I can piece together, he was dearly loved by many and made many special friends and memories up to his last moments.

His legacy lives on. It’ll just be a little harder to play without Jose in the nets.

Peace, brother

[gcoop 0]

Two years sure does pass quickly. I miss your dimples, your charm and how you could always put a smile on my face, even in the worst of times. Eternal blue skies, my brother!

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

I miss his cute smile too. Everytime I stand my bike or a motorcycle up, I think of him because he taught me.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[jjrainyday 0]

I can't help but mention that "standing up your motorcycle" is such a "Jose" thing to do!

Seriously, I came looking for this thread because I was thinking of Jose the other day, and how he always made me laugh -- even when I was having a really rough day in manifest.

[gcoop 0]

Thinking of my friend today, remembering his warm smile and hugs. I miss you, Jose. I hope you are having all sorts of crazy fun nowadays.