Kevin Donnelly

[scr097 0]

Here is a picture I took of Kevin and the other 'pallbearers' at the ash dive for Joe Faulk on 9-26-09. One is a crop of just Kevin.

Blueskys & Fairwinds
.. grayeagle (bill davis)
.... 1st jump 1961
...... scr97

[MissBuffDiver 0]

Kevins Funeral, burial and Memorial at Elsinore are scheduled for May 7,11. Go to www.airtrash.com to get the full details..

Sandy

[tonybrogdon 0]

Kevin was great person and contributed greatly to the sport and what it has become. He was ttruly one of a kind.

Tony Brogdon
D-12855

[patworks 5]

In case you haven't heard, Kevin Donnelly passed away last Saturday. He was 70. His funeral will be on Friday May 6 and a memorial jump will be held on Saturday May 6 at 5:00 pm at Elsinore DZ. He died suddenly on Saturday after not feeling well on Friday. He will leave a large hole to fill.

Kevin started skydiving in 1965 and was still active in the sport. He told me that he kept seven rigs current. Kevin attended almost all of the Pioneers of Sport Parachuting Reunions for the last eight years and was a favorite storyteller of the adventures of movie skydiving and flying stunts. He was one of those that inspired me to start jumping again. Kevin was well known for many things but especially for his movie making involving skydiving and airplanes. He said that he was a movie maker before he was a skydiver. He was the stunt coordinator for the movie Point Break where he managed the skydiving and flying scenes. He did many other movies including Gypsy Moths. If skydiving movies helped get people into our sport, then Kevin did more than most to grow our sport. He was also one of the pioneers of RW and was a US team member for accuracy and style in the 70s.

He will be missed.

Cliff Davis D-1594 USPA I/E
970-281-2390
[email protected]

[Douggarr 6]

I heard the sad news in an email from Cliff Davis. This is a huge loss for our very tight community. I met Kevin at the Greene SPC accuracy meet in 1970. Greene, NY, not Ohio. We locals were in awe of this very famous California skydiver, photographer, stuntman, etc., and were more impressed by what a great gentleman he was. Not wearing a skygod ego at all. Helpful, friendly. I met him again at Raeford in 2009 for the old farts reunion that Howard White was probably referring to. We'll miss him dearly. Condolences to his son and others close to him.

SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

[skr 1]

Well I want to say something to acknowledge Kevin
but I'm out of words.

He was a good guy and such a long, steady presence
and influence that ...

Well, thanks Kevin.

And thanks Sparky.

Skr

[flipper3 3]

Bummers

I haven't been here in a while and saw this.

I met Kevin in the 70's when he visited in Hawaii and I gave him my strato star to jump while here.

He used to let me stay in his trailer at Elsinore when I came over for the scrambles.
He and Gary Douris were friends who always watched out for me when I was there and I tried to reciprocate
when they were here.

I have a lot of great memories of times spent together - and i am sorry to see he has moved on, along with Gary.
Both were great people to have known.

Blue skies my friend.

Flip

Flip

[ripcords 0]

We just saw Kevin's memorial jump picture in Parachutist magazine and our hearts sank. What an incredible loss!

Kevin and my husband, Don Kellner, made their 1000th jump together and worked on the Molly McGuire's movie back in the 60's. Kevin made the jump with his leg in a cast and the crew caught him when he landed. I have attached a picture of that jump. Don has never stopped telling the wonderful stories of the good times they had together while making that movie.

I had the honor to meet Kevin when we traveled to California on vacation. He was larger than life and a genuinely down to Earth awesome person. I am so honored to have known him if even briefly.

Our sincere condolences.

[bwaldo 2]

Kevin was in the front right seat of my Beech 18 when it popped a engine coming off of Otay. Because of the mountains it was one way in and one way out. After limping back around over the lake on one engine I lined up on the short 1,800 foot runway that dead ended into mountains. On short final Kevin said something that until I die I will always remember. " I wouldn't do a go-around if I was you"