Paul Poberezny likes to say that he's learned more about people than about airplanes during his many years in aviation.  I tend to agree with him.  This post isn't about Wacos, but about people.  One person in particular actually.

Yesterday we buried my good friend Gregg Deimer.  He was a wonderful man, a damned good stick, and lover of all things aviation (along with music and fast cars, which gave me even more reasons to like him).  Gregg was struck down by cancer at the young age of 32.

I met Gregg just a bit less than 6 short years ago.  He started his employment at EAA a month before me, and we first met at our employee orientation session.  Little did I know then that a great friendship had just been born.  We quickly found out that we shared many interests, and our thoughts ran in the same direction on many, many subjects.  We spent many hours together, working, playing, or just chatting.  We also did quite a bit of flying together in many different airplanes, sometimes in the same airplane and sometimes in separate planes heading to a common destination.  I helped Gregg and his partner, Adam Smith, purchase two different airplanes.  First a 7KCAB Citabria, and then their beloved clipped wing Cub.

Here's a picture of their pride and Joy:

The picture is pretty small, but that's Gregg visible behind the windshield.  He and Adam were both in the airplane during the air-to-air photo shoot.  (The photo is by EAA photographer Jim Koepnick.)

I could ramble on and on about Gregg, but I won't.  I'll just say that the world is a bit less fun, friendly, and warm since Gregg left us.  We'll miss him.  One of his dreams was to someday fly a Pitts.  He didn't get a chance to do that during his time here on this earth, but I think he's probably flying one right now.  I just hope I'm lucky enough to someday join him in aviation heaven so we can fly formation.

Goodbye Gregg.  We love you.