John Hoover

[Yuri]

John Hoover has died in a car crash yesterday.

I can hardly talk now. Blue Skies, Black Death John!

The following has been posted on rec.skydiving.

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Norman man dies in accident
2001-01-24
By Robyn Lydick
Staff Writer

A Norman man was killed after his pickup struck a bridge footing and burst into flames Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened on Interstate 40 at the NW 10 bridge. Our units were about a mile and a half away, at Mustang Road, and they saw the smoke, said Maj. Brian Stanaland, spokesman for the Oklahoma City Fire Department. John C. Hoover, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said. Witnesses said the pickup passed them at high speed, and Hoover's head was bobbing like he had something wrong with him, Stanaland said. Troopers said Hoover could have fallen asleep. Hoover was going west on I-40 when he lost control of the pickup and went off the road, Stanaland said. The pickup exploded when it hit the bridge. Oklahoma Department of Transportation workers were called to inspect the damage to the bridge,Stanaland said. Hoover was in the pickup for almost an hour before firefighters could remove his body.


In response to Scott's e-mail...I thought I'd give all the details I've found...... Sorry to bring such sad news to all...I was aboard the last skydive John made at OSC a few weekends ago. John and I exited at about 4K after I put out a student. I want everyone to know that Johns last jump was a great one...I flew on my back and watched him as he exited into a track, taking us down to about 2K...we shared laughter on the ground that day and overall had a great day. I just wanted you all to know that his last dive was indeed a great one which I will remember.

Blue skys all

David Johnson D23029

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[guest]

I was blessed to have known John for about 10 years. A piece of my heart is know missing, for John was a great friend and a great BASE Mentor. His days of joy will live on. Thanks for everything John!

Justin :)

[guest]

From us who knew John in Norway;Love and respect.

[Yuri]

The funeral will be on Monday 10AM in Norman, Oklahoma.

[guest]

John Hoover, bless his heart, was the very first subscriber to the Fixed Object Journal. I remember it well because it was also the first piece of mail we ever received.

"Hey Ralph, look, some guy in Norman, Oklahoma sent us ten bucks." It was a heady moment.

Or, who remembers, the ruckus caused when John Hoover (freefalling) is photographed alongside his 9 year old son, Casey Hoover, who's being direct bagged by non-other than Grandma Hoover!!!

Or, John laying flat on his back on a nice carpet in a corner office after crashing through a window twenty stories up. He said, as the canopy caught wind and dragged him back out the window, "There's this guy's wife and family in this picture on the desk and I wonder how different my own life may have turned out if I'd made some different choices. And that disturbing thought ran through my mind as I repeatedly hit the building on the way down."

Or, Para-Care! This is a video John’s in where he promotes “Para-Care” a service for skydivers who are tempted by BASE jumping. “At Para-Care We Promise to get you Back to a Safe Altitude, Before it’s Too Late!”

Or, John walks into the Bombshelter (the old one) at Perris in the mid-eighties and announces, “Hey, is there any BASE jumping around here!” And his being greeted with a loud chorus of, “ SHUT UP!”

Or, he wore black trench coats before they were cool . . .

And irony of irony. We just finished an interview with Mike Allen’s niece, for a film’s she doing on him, two days ago. He also died in the dreaded automobile.

Good Night, John.

Nick
BASE 194

[guest]

We'll miss you John. It was a pleasure and honor to know you and jump with you.

My condolensces to the remaining family. Any calls to support John's family would be appreciated.

blue skies, black death,
Chris Stokely

[Yuri]

I'm flying to Oklahoma City at 5:35pm on Sunday, please email if you need a ride to Norman, i'll probably rent a car.

bsbd!

Yuri.

[guest]

My last message got accidently posted before I could tell you all what John's note said that he left with our BASE records. It said:

"I John Hoover did in fact assist in the maintenance of these BASE records as they pertain to those that have become deceased.
John Hoover
12-9-00"
Johnny, we'll put a D by your name, but you'll always live in our hearts!!
Our sympathy to his family and friends.
Rick and Joy.

[guest]

http://www.BridgeDayAssociation.com/hoover.jpg

[guest]

Sorry, but it looks like my first message didn't get posted so I'll try again. Johnny Hoover or "Hoove" as I called him was a treasured friend since the early 80's at Bridge Day. If any of you are old enough to remember some of the parties in our room at the Holiday Inn in Oak Hill, you may remember that John was always good at bringing an old friend of his he called KGB. I can't admit what that means, but it is not the old Soviet spy organization. The IRONY of his death is that just 6 weeks ago, he spent an evening here at our house. He really got a kick out of seeing the old original BASE Number records. He and Yuri went through the list with Joy. John's self appointed job was to update the records for who was dead. Little did any of us think that only a few weeks later we would add his name to the list. He was so proud to help with the records he left us a personal note that we'll keep about his helping maintain the records. The exact wording of his note is in the other posting from us.

Johnny, you've joined an elite quality group of friends and BASE jumpers up there. I think you'll really like your next load with Carl, Mike Allen, John Mjoen, Thor Alex, and many great others. We'll all be there one day and we'll come back and do the first 100 way off Half Dome.
I guess we'll put a "D" by your name, but you'll always live in our hearts!!
Blue Skies and Black Death Johnny.
Rick and Joy.

[kleggo]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-24-01 AT 05:48 PM (PST)[p]damn hoover...............................

you were a special guy that kept battling the beast.

later days

craig fenstermaker

[guest]

MAN,THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I CAN THINK OF TO SAY ABOUT JOHN BUT I KNOW EVERYONE THAT KNEW HIM HAS ALL OF THE SAME HEART FELT FEELINGS.I WILL DEEPLY MISS HIS "ONE OF KIND"FRIENDSHIP,IT REALLY HURTS TO SAY THAT.THIS IS A POEM THAT JOHN WROTE AND GAVE TO ME A FEW YEARS AGO:
WEIGHT
THE WEIGHT OF ONES HEART
WILL ALWAYS TELL THE TALE
AND LEAVE THE BOLDEST TRAVELER
WRACKED UPON THE TRAIL

THE HEAD IS FILLED WITH WANDERLUST
THE SOUL CANNOT DENY
AND THE BODY SHALL BE DRIVEN
TO WHERE THE SPIRIT WOULD RESIDE

JOHN HOOVER 11-13-96

[Yuri]

http://home.anet.ee/~outrager/bd98-03.jpg

[guest]

>He really got a kick out of seeing the old original BASE Number records. He and Yuri went through the list with Joy.

Mr.Harrison,

My name's been on the BASE number list for a long long time and my name is marked CONFIDENTIAL. I was promised my name would never see the light of day. Now that these two (and god knows who else) has seen the list I don't know what to think. What's next, the list gets published on the internet? I need some answers here as my career depends on the confidentiality I was promised, and never worried about until now. Besides myself, there are several government\law enforcement\public life types besides me who may need to be removed from the BASE number list. Waiting for an answer.

Compromised_BASE_jumper

[guest]

Get a life. No one cares who you are. Our friend was God fearin, Govt haten, died in the wool BASE man. That is probably why the Harrisons let him view and maintain the old #'s. John was BASE.

How dare you impose your self centered paranoia on us during this time of grief. Contact the Harrisons off line moron.

I hope they publish your BASE # in the Wall Street Journal.

[guest]

dammit...

Thanks for the memories...
I think I'll go watch that video again now.
It's always been my favorite.

Enjoy your new wings, John.
Catch ya on the other side.

peace,
jkl

[BASE359]

My 2 favorite Hooverisms...

When asked by a whuffo how long it takes a BASE canopy to deploy, Hoover answered: I pitch my pilot chute and wait 6-8 weeks for deployment.

and

We were driving out of Denver about 5 years ago on the way to jump Mount Evans and stopped to grab some snack stuff at the local convenience store. As we were walking up to the front door, Hoover says: Oh Sh!t! We're going BASE jumping after eating at a place called "Total"!
Seems no one else had noticed the name.
That's one of the things, that made John special, he saw things just a little bit differently than most people.

C ya over there Brother,

BASE359

[guest]

I made my first BASE jump with the Hoover Man in the mid eighties and I think it was his second or third. We were a tad scared. I made my last BASE jump with him in the early nineties when family woes took over.

My most vivid memories are when we were at some midnight exit point, pilot chutes in hand, and John would say "I love ya, Marky." We continued this tradition for years, after modern gear arrived. It's a great thing in life to do exactly what you want.

To all who knew John, we've lost a really good soul. To those who never met him, he was a larger than life character. If he was in a group of people....you couldn't have missed him.

I don't know what else to say...

Mark Herndon
BASE104

[guest]

this just posted:

<----------- Begin Included Message -------->

Subject: Update on John Hoover / Service Information
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 00:42:36 GMT
From: random@NOSPAMmail.com (Kriszilla)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving


Hello all, Mike Palmer just called me with the information on the service. It
will be this coming Monday, January 29th, 10:00am at the below address:

Saint John's Episcopal Church
235 W. Duffy
Norman, Oklahoma
405-321-3020

He also talked to John's mother who heard from the medical examiner as to the
possible cause of John's crash. Lesions were found on John's heart valves, on
his aorta and on heart tissue surrounding the aorta. He may have been in a
semi-conscious state when it happened due to this. There was no evidence of
smoke in his nostrils, lungs or esophagus showing that he died instantly upon
impact and was spared from the following fire.

Several of John's friends will be meeting at Oklahoma Skydiving Center in
Cushing this Saturday. Directions can be found on the DZ website at
http://www.oklahomaskydiving.com

Kris

<----------- end included message --------->

[guest]

My friend, Mr. Important, I've been a federal attorney with the Army and the Dept. of Justice for 23 years and have always displayed BASE photos on my wall very proudly. If you're that paranoid about being a BASE jumper, send me your number and we'll gladly remove your number from our records permanently. There is a certain perspective that comes with being a BASE jumper, and one of those things is some measure of trust in other BASE jumpers. It was myself and Jean and Carl that mostly fought the NPS at New River about turning over names to them. We held fast and no one's identity was ever turned over to them until we the USBA quit running the event. Again, if you had a clue as to who John Hoover and Yuri are, you would realize how misplaced your paranoia is. No one other than a few select BASE jumpers have ever seen the inside of these books. I'll gladly remove you if it would make you feel better. John was a dear old friend of mine and if he were here today, I'd be glad to show him the records again. He earned the right.
Rick Harrison
BASE 38
Night BASE 13

[guest]

Dear Compromised BASE jumper,
As I am the one who does all the paper work for issuing the numbers, I felt I had to reply. First off, you can rest assured that none of your or anyone elses personal information was revealed. The manner in which the records are kept have names only on one page, all personal information on another. The later was carefully tucked away out of sight. I did appreciate John's help in updating the records, he was one of only a handful I would have trusted to do so, along with Yuri. As far as I know this is only the second time in 20 years of record keeping that the list has been updated. I'm sure in another 10 years, who ever is keeping the records will want to do the same. Again, unless you knew John personally, there is no way he or Yuri could even know what country you were from, let alone your occupation, so relax!
Hope this puts an end to any concerns anyone else might have. I have been and will remain very protective of your privacy, so, please, lets not fight!
Sincerely,
Joy Harrison

[guest]

John Hoover was "One of the Best", God Bless You John ! Gerald Harendza, BASE # 75, Vestal, NY

[guest]

I never got the opportunity to meet John Hoover, but he sounds like a very special person who lived his life to the fullest. My condolences to his family, and his friends, blue skies John, sincerely, Riccarda Mescola

[guest]

Goodbye
Tanks for all the time at bandana cabana
Your work will shine for years to come.

[guest]

Yuri I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of Casey Hoover, I'm his girlfriend. The Website looks great Thank You for all you're efforts. John was so lucky to have great friends like you!!! Katie

[guest]

Tony- On behalf of Casey Hoover Thank You for all of the wonderful things you are sharing about John. Some people where not as fortunate as we where to have had him in our lives. You're families support means so much to all of us here in Oklahoma THANK YOU!!! Katie

[guest]

get a life is right. this dude was one of the originals, and you're pissed about him seeing the list. Who made the list dickweed? Probably John and Carl and all the other D's that came before him.. Oh, wah wah, he saw my name. Well, he's dead now and you have the balls to complain about information he generated and viewed even though he probably penciled your name on the list. Your dick must be about inch and a half hard. Get a reality check. Peace to you John. Now, John will never have to worry about pull time. RIP
Tom

[guest]

I frequently saw John at Bridge Day, but never got to know him until we met in Arco Italy a couple years ago with Bill Legg and his Oklahoma buddies. We had a great time, I won't forget sharing that time with John. Thanks for the memories John...