JohnRich 4 #1 March 21, 2010 Long-time Houston skydiver Ron Mills passed away the evening of March 20th, 2010, at Hermann Memorial Hospital. His sister, Coreta was with him. More of his family is en route and they will let us know about arrangements for a service. I'll post that here when I become aware of it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 417 #2 March 21, 2010 RIP Ron. We'll miss you.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #3 March 21, 2010 Damn!! Circumstances?The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #4 March 21, 2010 QuoteDamn!! Circumstances? Cancer. He's been fighting it for a couple of years. Had surgery, which didn't get it all. Underwent chemo treatments, which made him weak, and some of his hair fall out. You could tell something wasn't right, because he didn't look good, and while he used to jump repeatedly all day long, it got to where he only had the strength to make one or two. But he wouldn't talk about it, at least not with me. Then he quit jumping altogether about a year ago. He had bought a plot of land out in the country upon which he was looking forward to building his retirement home. He spent many weekend days clearing the land, cutting trees and running 'em through a wood chipper, while dropping by Skydive Houston to make a few jumps. He loved to go off on long hiking trips for vacation, a passion which I shared with him, and we would often spend a lot of time talking about the neat places we've been in the outdoors. Fuck cancer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,314 #5 March 21, 2010 I first met Ron in 1975 at Don Stewart's Houston Parachute Service. He was a nice guy. I'm sorry the sport has lost him. I've been jumping more at Spaceland recently, and hadn't known he was sick until recently. Ron lived the life he wanted much of the time. Fuck cancer. Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 179 #6 March 21, 2010 I used to jump with Ron once in a while on his travels around the West Coast. Damn. Fuck Cancer +1BSBD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #7 March 21, 2010 Well.....shit! +1 on that fuck cancer thing. FIP dude. The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littlestranger 0 #9 March 22, 2010 QuoteFuck cancer. +1 this sucks...he was one of those guys that always made eye contact, you couldn't help but have a connection with him. memorable. Blue Skies Ron, teresa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #10 March 22, 2010 Rest In Peace, Ron. We didn't jump in the same circles, but the Holiday Boogie at Eloy was where we bumped into each other for years. I always made him pose for a photo with me, which he reluctantly did. I'll look for them and put them up here. You could always spot him in a formation in his RED and YELLOW Racer. Russell M. Webb D 7014 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
webtoaster 0 #11 March 22, 2010 Rest In Peace Ron. Thank you for helping me be a better skydiver, a better rigger and a better mentor to other skydivers through your example over the years. Tom OlsonThomas Olson Sr. Parachute Rigger Skydive Supplies http://www.skydivesupplies.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakyrat 1 #12 March 22, 2010 May Ron Rest In Peace. The last time I saw Ron at Skydive Houston I knew something was wrong cause he just wasn't his usual self. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airgord 1 #13 March 22, 2010 Quote I used to jump with Ron once in a while on his travels around the West Coast. Damn. Fuck Cancer +1BSBD Holiday Boogie at Eloy, hadn't seen him in a while. Fuck cancer. RIP Ron. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeTJumps 4 #14 March 22, 2010 Ron was one of the originators of the NSCSA hoop dive. An excellent relative worker and organizer. Few will ever be as good as he. He will be missed.Mike Turoff Instructor Examiner, USPA Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StilettoDriver 0 #15 March 22, 2010 Ron, You'll be missed. R.I.P. Tony Riggs D-22542 Houston, Tx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbellopa-c 0 #16 March 22, 2010 Ron is a great man. He helped Kristi and I on student status. Ron was always positive around the DZ and in his slot on jumps. He will be truly missed. Texas skydiving has lost a loyal skydiver. Respectfully, TB Fuck Cancer!www.skydivehouston.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drjump 0 #17 March 22, 2010 Blue Skies, Ron. A great jumper, a wonderful dedicated instructor, you will be missed. Ron migratd to Houston, from OK. in the fall of 1975 with about 25 jumps. He started jumping with the Galveston Skydiver in Hitchcock, TX. He moved over to Boatman's Spaceland DZ for the Twin Otter and large formation freefall. Several times a year he would travel the big boogie circut. helping to organiz large formation jumps. Ron is and was a true and trusted friend. I will miss him. Don Stewart D-2785 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLF 0 #18 March 22, 2010 Ron, you are already being missed in the skydiving community. Thank you Ron for the jumps we had together. Rest in peace, you have earned it. -KeithM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 0 #19 March 22, 2010 Ron was on the aircraft when I did my AFF level 1. I've noticed that in my many viewings of the video. I've jumped with him many times since then and have always been impressed with his knowledge of skydiving and willingnes to teach others. In 2001 he was telling me he would be at Nationals (Eloy) and would probably put together a pickup team for 16way after he got there. I wondered how he would gather 16 people in that short amount of time (4 was bad enough) but he said 'No problem'. Fast forward to Eloy and the team entering the hanger to view jump video and I saw Ron's gear, (whose colors never changed), hanging on a gear hook close to the door and remarked "Hey, Ron Mills is here." As we sat there waiting for our video to queue, I kept hearing that same comment from others as the entered the hanger, "Hey, Ron Mills is here.", and subsequent comments regarding looking him up for 16 way and I realized that he didn't have to go looking, people came looking for him. Too Cool. My condolences to Ron's family in this time of sorrow and also to all skydivers as we have lost one of our own. I almost know what those skydivers that have passed before are saying now: "Hey, Ron Mills is here." Blue Skies Ron. Luminous. "Blue Skies, Black Death" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ramon 0 #20 March 22, 2010 Blue Skies Ron Ramon"Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.", Ambrose Bierce. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moonglo 0 #21 March 22, 2010 Blue Skies Ron. Thanks for all the jumps! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #22 March 22, 2010 Facebook page set up for Ron: http://www.facebook.com/people/Ron-Mills/100000905830574 "A memorial service celebrating Ron's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 26, 2010, in the Chapel of Heights Funeral Home. "Ron Mills , born April 9, 1948 to James and Leatrice Mills in Odessa, Texas, passed away March 20, 2010 in Houston, Texas. Ron is survived by sister, Coreta S Ray; brother, Kelvin Keith Mills and wife, Dee Dee; niece, Christa Moore; nephew, Curtis Ray, and other family and friends." Obituary: http://www.legacy.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Elvin+%22Ron%22-Mills&lc=2091&mid=4176281 Funeral home, with address and phone number: http://www.heightsfuneralhome.com/dm20/en_US/locations/20/2091/index.page? Map to funeral home: http://www.heightsfuneralhome.com/dm20/en_US/locations/20/2091/directions.page? I never knew his real first name was "Elvin"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxmadmax 8 #23 March 23, 2010 QuoteQuoteDamn!! Circumstances? "He had bought a plot of land out in the country upon which he was looking forward to building his retirement home. He spent many weekend days clearing the land, cutting trees and running 'em through a wood chipper...." Ron had asked me about buying a lot out where I live. Saw one for sale, brought him the for sale sign and he bought it. Ron loved that lot. Ron kept his lawn tractor in my barn. Always offered to pay for the storage, but I told him that his money was no good here. So twice a year, he brought a case of Shiner to square up. Ron worked like a madman clearing that lot. Poison ivy got him a couple of times, once severely. Otherwise nothing slowed him down. He burned up that chipper shredder at least ten times and replaced just about every part in the garden tractor. Ron had purchased an extended warranty on both of them. And believe me, Sears lost that bet! We had many a conversation in my backyard under the beer tree. I'll miss him as he was a truly unique person. Only a few knew how sick he really was. Ron wanted it that way. Don't go away mad....just go away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QTPi 0 #24 March 23, 2010 Ron came up with some of the most unique skydives I have ever been a part of, whether he was on the skydive or not. A group of us "youngsters" would be gathered trying to figure out what to do in the air and we'd go ask Ron for suggestions. He would ask, How interesting do you want to make this? RIP Ron. We're all going to miss you. -- A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. -Oliver Wendel Holmes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #25 March 27, 2010 Blue Skies Ron ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
