Paul "Blondie" Ikin, South Africa

[206doorman 0]

Blondie passed away Sat 28th June after a long battle with cancer. He was briefly in remission from bugs in his lungs, but they had already spread to his head.

He went downhill the previous weekend, and was hospitalised and comatose by Tuesday.

British born, he first jumped at Pretoria in 1981. Soon after, Witbank Skydiving Club became 'home'.

I met him early on, around 82/83, and didn't know him well. Latterly, in the last 5/6 years, I discovered a very articulate and intelligent character. He stepped into the manifest role with consummate skill and ability,despite many initial misgivings.

His unkempt appearance,notably his hair, caused him to be maligned by some, including me.

His love of the finest weed was legend,but he chided anyone who used anything stronger.

BSBD

Nigel

[206doorman 0]

From Lionel,a close friend....

Yes he was far more intelligent than any of us gave him credit. He was in fact a straight A student, unfortunately he was expelled during his A level year for blowing up the science Lab, he thought it would be great to make some touch dust, or something along those lines, the experiment went wrong destroying the common room radiator, wall and window. He did it for a prank, however Scotland Yard took a dim view of anyone making bombs during the days when the IRA was blowing everything up, so he got sent to the Navy, 5 years as an apprenticed midshipman, finally qualifying as a Millwright with skilled knowledge in Gas turbines, electronics, fitting, turning boiler making, tool making and anything else required to keep a naval battle ship afloat. His South African equivalent is a Pr.Tech and is valid as a mechanical engineer. When he first came to SA he worked for Johnson Matthee as one of their hotshot imports from England, later he worked for the CSIR assisting on the design and prototype manufacture of the new safety brakes fitted to all mine shafts. Later still he had his own successful business. He had it all, fast cars, women and money. (Believe it or not he was once really attractive to the females, I’ve seen the photo’s, perfectly manicured and dressed to kill)

Believe it or not it was a woman that turned him into what he later became. He fell in love with a Nigerian Princess.(during Apartheid SA, really wise move) They got a high class apartment in Hillbrow in the early 80’s and were planning to elope to England. Ironically it was her family, not the SA Police, that intervened, they came in and beat him to a pulp and took her back to Nigeria. At the time he had his own business, a panel and spray shop, with contracts with half the used car dealers on Jules Street. One of them refused to pay him for repairs to just about every car on the lot and Paul, with his typical sense of Justice, went on to the lot with a sledge hammer and put all the cars back the way they were. That got him a few months in Jail and cost him everything he had, including 5 years of judgments. He never recovered, financially or emotionally.

I met him shortly after this had happened, In fact he lived with me for nine months when he was evicted from the house he was in. I had many arguments with him about his appearance and lack of ambition, I was the only one who could call him a hobo to his face and he would accept it, I once told him in an argument that if he continued along his path he would end up old, alone and poor. I really wish he had listened to me. He could have been anything he wanted to be, and in the end, he was exactly what he wanted. One thing I can say, he lived his life happy for 99% of his time, that is something few people can claim.

[LindaSteyn 0]

Quote

> Blondie - A ray of sun no longer shines and we shall miss your warmth.
> Lovingly remembered by Linda and Brendon - Skydive Xtreme - South Africa***
>
> The Drifter's Melody
> The time soon comes for parting,
> And our time is at an end,
> The rest of your life is starting,
> And we have no time at all to spend.
> You knew one day you'd have to go,
> But thought you'd have more time.
> We can't reverse time's one-way flow,
> But at least you'll have this rhyme.
> You had your shining moments,
> Upon this life's darkened stage,
> And in my book of wonderments,
> You'll never be just another page.
> Like the exploding of a star,
> You've changed me in and out,
> Your light will travel with me far,
> Past when all other lights go out.
> By Megan R. Bokowski.

[MissyEm 0]

Hi guys

I am Pauls niece, Emma. I may have met some of you when I visited SA 2 years ago. I have only found this out by pure chance. Can somebody please email me with some more information at [email protected] as I need to tell my mum, Pauls sister.

[Dejavu 0]

Paul Ikin was a Good friend and Great guy, he will be missed. Jason Richardson

[potatoman 0]

I am out of skydiving for a while now, but this came as a shocker.
You never had to wonder who landed when you heard, HEATWAVE!!! The man who taught me quite a bit about skydiving. His heart was good, and he lived for the skies.

Me and the wife decided to each do a tandem jump, just for old time sake in memory of a good friend.

You will be remembered....

You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is.
Davelepka - "This isn't an x-box, or a Chevy truck forum"
Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD.

[karlm 0]

Another great character in the sport is lost .... Blonde was a regular at the DZ I cut my teeth at in my younger years, he was always there with a smile, a smoke and a lack of wearing a shirt half the time

Paul you'll be missed and your legend will for sure live on in the lives of those that love you. See you on the otherside

Better never to have met you in my dream than to wake and reach for hands that are not there.

[gainer 0]

Blondie was the guy who taught me to pack. First time it took me 45 min, and he helped for all 45 minutes, and then I had to jump it.

Blondie also took me on my first head-down, scary as he had no idea what he was doing and me even less and it was illegal :-). Afterwards they helped a 16 year old, where you have to be 18, to his first beer. Another illegal thingy.


Now I freefly okish and take a lot less time to pack. And I still use the techniques he taught me, 1150 jumps later.

rest in peace my friend
Dian

[Wingnut65 0]

Farewell my friend. for 22 years you watched my back, a better lifelong friend a man could never find.
The lives of me and my children will be less for your loss and we will never foget you.

My sincere condolences to Maria (sister) and Emma (Niece). I was privilaged to share the years with him that you missed. He was a brother to me.

Blue skies brother.

Lionel, Brian, Alex & Mark