Memorials

MEMORIALS

In Memory of Maggie Palmieri

Photo Darryl Richards

1951 - August 2, 2003

"She celebrated life." - Jim Palmieri

Margaret (Maggie) Palmieri left this world in a tragic bicycling accident while competing in the 100 mile Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge. Maggie was an avid cyclist in the Roanoke area and an active member of GRITS, (Girls Riding In The Streets), a group of women bicyclists who met regularly to ride and encourage other women to ride. Maggie and her husband Jim both were not only involved with bicycling, but have been involved with the sport of hang gliding for the past twelve years. She also co-edited and published two books of hang gliding stories with her husband Jim Palmieri.

Jim Palmieri has established a medical school scholarship fund in her honor at the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, where he's a professor. It will aid medical students who have dedicated their careers to rural medicine.

If you wish to donate, you can send contributions to:

The Margaret Palmieri Rural Health Scholarship
Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
C/O Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, D.O.
2265 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060

Some links to some more pages on the Internet about Maggie.

http://www2.roanoke.com/outdoors/biking/10941.html

http://www.bikemountainmama.homestead.com/maggie.html

In Memory of Darryl W. Richards

April 21, 1961 - January 14, 1999

Darryl was the son of William Wayne (W.W.) Richards local hang gliding pioneer
Though Darryl did not fly for a long period he was one of the quickest learners and instinctive pilots I have known. He went from his first training flight to soaring mountains in about one month.

He was tragically killed by a hit and run driver while riding his motorcycle in Florida. Here is a link to a memorial web site for him by some of his friends.
http://www.sacredsocietymc.com/History.html

We will miss you too Darryl !

In Memory of Bill Bennett

Region 9 Director, Instructor, Pilot, Sky God
Died July 25, 1996 pursuing his love of hang gliding

Bill,
Though you are gone your contributions and influences to the sport of hang gliding will go on forever.

Greg Lemieux an advanced rated pilot suffered massive head and neck injuries when he crashed on final at Hensons Gap, Tennessee May 18, 1994. He died a few days later while still in the hospital. Greg was a long time pilot that had survived the early days of hang gliding and was one of the original founding members of the Skywackers.