3331 108 #1 Posted January 15 Jim Hooper has died of Cancer. He told me about his condition months ago and asked I not say anything. This a cut and paste of Roland Hilfiker’s post in Facebook Old School Skydiving. Jim Hooper the former owner and operator of the Zephyrhills Parachute Center, passed away on 12 January at the age of 82. Jim was a guy who left his marks on skydiving like hardly anyone else by running what was the world’s leading drop zone between the early 70s and 1983 (including the Turkey Meets), by staging the 1981 World Meet in Relative Work there, and by fostering Canopy Relative Work with the first international competitions around the same time . He retired from what he referred to as dispensing “fun and frolic” liberally to an entire skydiving generation in 1983 and became a war correspondent in Africa and in the Balcan. Author of several books and regular contributor to the Soldier of Fortune magazine, he reported on conflicts big and small from which the other journalists stayed away. Godspeed Hoop! And thanks for everything you did for us. My life would not have been the same without you! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
33zulu 21 #2 January 16 Oh, geez. Sorry to see this. I had the pleasure and honor to spend some time with him at the '81 World Meet in Z-Hills. Another loss. Sigh. R.I.P. Hoop. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3331 108 #3 January 17 Jim and Jeff also Jim and Phil Smith. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggermick 6 #4 January 19 RIP Jim hooper, didn't know you well but met you a few times, always a good dude. Fly free brother. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyboy6554 3 #5 January 29 Met Hoop in the 70's at zhills. He was always good to me when I was a really novice jumper. RIP. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
