faulknerwn 38 #1 May 26, 2013 Ken unfortunately died after a CRW wrap on Saturday. My favorite CRW incident ever involved Ken :-) Probably around 2000 or so - we went to Elsinore for the day because Perris was still finishing up Nationals. It was Friday the 13th, we were on the 13th Otter Load of the day to 13k, and when Ken docked 13th, the formation went to shit (not his fault). Ken and I ended up having a double cutaway. Good times.. I also remember showing up at the Tokyo Skydiving center and seeing a Ken Oka pull-up cord tied to a random gear bag. I had to laugh... His pull-up cords will live on forever.. BSBD Ken.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #2 May 26, 2013 A great man and a heck of a guy. I've still got Ken Oka pull up cords. He will be missed.-- Tom Aiello [email protected] SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
relyon 0 #3 May 26, 2013 Been on many a jump together - I'll miss you Ken. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
selbbub78 0 #4 May 26, 2013 You are kidding... Gosh, blue skies Ken!!! Wow, I met him a few years ago, and gosh... I got plenty of Ken Oka Women CReW pull up cords. Crap... Holy cow... This is the last thing I expected... Blue Skies Ken!!! I'm going to really miss you.... Ken, enjoy the formations with the others... until I see you again!!! (a sad) CReW Skies, Bubbles"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone "The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote) "The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edenney 0 #5 May 26, 2013 Very sad news for the CRW community and all of Ken's friends and fellow jumpers, he was one of the very best and will be missed. The last CRW jump I made was with Ken, unfortunately it ended with my own near fatality. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fustercluck 0 #6 May 26, 2013 I met Ken in the mid-90's at Perris. He was one of the hard core of competent CRW jumpers that came together there on a regular basis. Ken motivated me to undertake my first CRW cutaway. He was dislodged from the formation above and somehow managed to appear, headfirst, moving in a generally downward manner taking my center cell with him as he went. A cheerful Cya and I was outta there. In retrospect I may have pulled the trigger a bit earlier than I should have but I never heard a word of criticism from Ken. We were back up attempting the formation as soon as everyone could find their gear (I was not the only cutaway on that load)and get repacked. BSBD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChaseBradshaw 0 #7 May 27, 2013 We have created a memorial page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/100957653448371/ In celebration of Ken's life we continuing his legacy with the annual Oka Cup on April 18th, 2014 https://www.facebook.com/events/194331677386615/ You will be missed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #8 May 27, 2013 Did a CRW camp at Perris as a brand new pup. Flew with Ken and learned so much. Such a generous and all around nice guy. He will be missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakyrat 1 #9 May 27, 2013 So sad to hear this. I knew Ken from many POP's meets. Blue Skies my friend Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Usetawuz 1 #11 May 27, 2013 Blue Skies, Ken. Rest easy. _________________________________________ The older I get, the better I was! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flailchick 0 #12 May 28, 2013 RIP my friend. Miss you already. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
patworks 5 #13 May 28, 2013 More than an icon, bigger than a legend, Ken was a watchtower, the lighthouse, he both lit and flew the way of CReW. A balm to be with Although any candle you can snuff, Ken's lights the lives in all of us. Blue sky, sky brother. Blue.Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cheridino 0 #14 May 28, 2013 Ken, will miss you greatly. All the best in that CRW heaven. Soft docks bro. Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MakeItHappen 15 #15 May 29, 2013 Of the 3 fatalities this weekend, Ken was the one I knew the longest. We first met at Marana in 1982 when we both only had a few hundred jumps. Ken actually did RW then too. He worked for IBM and took a nice severance pay package when they downsized. He moved to NorCal. Several years later I also moved to NorCal. I saw him all the time at the DZ, but we rarely jumped together because he went to the darkside of CRW-Dawgs. ;) We also saw each other because we went to events at Perris, Elsinore and Eloy. I remember the first time he gave me one of those 'Ken Oka' pull up cords. I didn't know what to make of it. At first I thought he was handing them out because he was running for the BOD. He said he wasn't running. It was this very humble man that wanted to make sure people remembered his name. At the time he wasn't know nationally. Over the years, he must have given me +20 of those pull up cords. I saw him at Nationals for the past +13 years, plus other events. Even tho he was a CRW-dawg and I was into FS, we still chatted and chilled together. Ken you are missed and everyone that met you knows your name. Blue Skies Ken. .. Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sebcat 0 #16 June 1, 2013 - Make sure you give this pull-up chord to the prettiest girl on your DZ. When she asks "Who's Ken Oka?", you'll say: "The most handsome man in the world!" Blue skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivermom 0 #17 June 3, 2013 I met Ken on my first big way CRW camp at Eloy in January of 2012. Had a great time hanging out and flying with him. So sorry he has left us Mrs. WaltAppel All things work together for good to them that love God...Romans 8:28 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #18 June 7, 2013 I got The Cord in April 2009, when Ken was one of three CReW dogs who went out of their way to introduce a Dutch newbie into four-stack rotations. Not that I ever held the illusion I was a very active participant in that formation.... My role was limited to looking about me going "wow"... I'll always remember the first words he spoke to me: "And remember: The first rule of CReW is: don't kill Kenny". You'll be missed, Ken. CReW Skies. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
