Goodbye Chris Smeglin!

[HUSHPUPPY 0]

Chris was a Lt Jg in flight training and was involved in an accident while riding his bicycle a few weeks ago and was killed. He became involved with skydiving while stationed in north west Florida 2 years ago which is where I met him. I made many skydives with Chris and sold him his first canopy! He was truly one of the good guys and so much fun to be around in any setting! Chris Smeglin I will miss you!

The following is from an email I received this morning and wanted to include here:

"Chris was one of those uniquely eccentric characters that seldom pops up in life, goofy and good-natured, immediately loveable and self-deprecating. I first met Christopher "Smeglin" (his last name said in the same tone and cadence as Seinfeld would say "Newman!") the Third Esquire at the DZ, and then shortly thereafter I become one of his instructors in groundschool. You knew at once he was leading an alternative lifestyle, being a graduate of the Merchant Marine Academy. Really, who does THAT?!? He was training to be a Naval Flight Officer when the Navy realized they were short in Pilot production, and Smeglin literally stumbled onto the pilot training pipeline. He was leaning away from jets since he admittedly was having a hell of a time in flight training and probably didn’t have “jet grades,” yet in true Smeglin form, left his pipeline selection to the Navy, who saw fit again to stumble him into jets!! The big joke around the DZ for a time was the Dooggie Doug was going to wind up in his backseat in Hornets out in the fleet….

Who can forget his description of using candy bars to entice young women because Timber was not the only one around who scores with young chicks!

Or, when he decided that he could MAKE his own rubber band stows after he couldn’t find them at the local Kmart.

Or, he had to be talked out of jumping his rig into Pcola beach after he busted a suspension line.

Or, during water training, he literally couldn’t find his way out from under the canopy….

Or, landing up at Highway 90 as a student – which he had to turn completely in the wrong direction and fly in that direction the entire time to make from a good spot over the DZ - earning him the nickname “Navigator-Boy.”

Or, when he decided that it was too embarrassing to ride his motorcycle to the DZ after dropping it – TWICE – in the gravel.

Becky found a copy of one of his logbook pages, and gave it to me Sunday. It was posted on the DZ office door for many weeks, and detailed a jump that Smeglin and I did not so long ago. While those of us that actually take the time to fill out logs either write the bare minimums or recount in sterile form just another jump, Smeglin found a way to make every skydive historically memorable and distinctively funny! This logbook entry – which I’ll send out when I scan it – really says everything that needs to be said about Chris: fun-loving, a goofball, unconventional, inimitable, strange, but also a true friend and fellow brother-in-arms.

Smeglin, you are and will be missed. The world is noticeably duller without you around. Blues always,"

Kevin

"You made my panties wet!" Skymama (Fitz 09)
"Never argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."

[skygirlpc 0]

Blue Skies, Smeglin!

He was such a great guy and always so entertaining! I can't think of a time that he was around that I wasn't laughing. Sadly our community again lost a good one way too early!

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing." - Helen Keller

[gjeffq 0]

I met Chris in '07 while he was getting off student status, and both of us were progressing. We ran the McGuire's 5k run together (but he left my ass after the second mile because of his triathlon background). We discussed a jump we were to do at the '07 beach boogie in which I wanted to do "relative work." His reply was "work? I'm not here to work! I'm here to have fun!" He did. In the meantime he delighted us with his goofy personality.

I contacted his father and told him about the impression he made in his short time with us here. They are coping with his loss, but celebrating his life. He is missed.

Blue skies Chris,
Jeff

[EXTremeWade 0]

I learned at Emerald Coast Skydiving, and you all metnioned alot of familair things about this great man! I was a Marine stationed in Pensacola, where I was learning to be an Avioncs Technician for Jets. I ran the McGuiers 5 K, and as I said, made my first jump, and left with 60. This hurts to see someone go that I know where he learned and jumped. God bless you!

Wade