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The Passing of a GREAT! Red Marron

Mel

Legacy Member
Mentor
Many of you new comers here may have never heard of Red Marron. If not, you missed out on knowing a SUPER person. Red & I built our RV-6s side by side in my garage in Plano, TX from 1989-1993. Our airplanes flew with 2 days of each other.
Red, along with John Stewart was the driving force behind the RV fly-in that started in Burlington, CO. and eventually became the LOE Fly-In. For those of you that don't know, that stands for Land Of Enchantment.
Land Of Enchantment is the motto of New Mexico and the fly-in was held in Las Cruces and later moved to Santa Teresa, NM.
Red was a VERY popular guy and never did anything half way.
I have often asked people if they had met Red. Some times they would say, "Well I think I have." Then I would say, "Nope you haven't. If you met Red, you would know it."
Red passed away Wednesday morning at his daughter Amy's house in Grapevine, TX. Services are scheduled for Saturday Jan. 9 at 2PM. The location is the Lucas Funeral Home in Grapevine, TX. BTW Saturday would have been Red's 83rd Birthday.

HE WILL BE MISSED BY MANY!
 
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I met Red at LOE 2005 (the same year I first met Mel and Ann, DR, Jay Pratt, Rosie and several others). Red was absolutely a class act, and I'm pretty sure he never met a stranger his whole life. Blue skies and tailwinds, Red...you've earned them!
 
THE REST OF THE STORY

Many, many years ago before Van's Aircraft even envisioned a concept of pre-punched kits, a few builders sat around discussing the idea of a RV fly-in. John Stewart accepted this call, back in the late nineties, and ended up hosting the first five RV fly-in's in Burlington, Colorado.

I was standing with John on the ramp at Burlington's airport around noon the day before the first RV fly-in was to start. A lot of work had gone into preparation and the discussion and even fear was would anyone even come to this first fly-in? As we were finishing up a few final details on the ramp, the characteristic open exhaust note from an experimental aircraft was heard in the distance. Could this be the first person to arrive at the first RV Fly-in?

A beautiful red white and blue RV-6 was soon rolling out on the runway with us anxious to meet the first arrival! The RV-6 rolled to a stop on the ramp and the tip-up canopy opened as the prop stopped. A booming joyful voice echoed out to us, "Mighty fine day boys. Is this Clovis, New Mexico?" I'm not sure which felt worse, the fact this was not our first arrival to the first RV fly-in, or the fact this poor fellow was so bad a pilot he missed his destination by three hundred miles!! I remember John saying in a somewhat saddened way, to this man sitting in his RV, "No, this is Burlington, Colorado." The RVer said seriously, "Thank you boys. Could you kindly point me in the direction of Clovis, New Mexico?" I remember slowly looking towards John, seeing his hand raised just as mine was, pointing to the south. Each of us, without comment to the other, shared the same thought about this poor, lost pilot...

When we looked back at the RV, the canopy was closed and the prop turning. We both stood there in that brief moment watching the RV taxi out, take off and disappear over the horizon in the direction we had pointed, in total disbelief this just happened!

It was a good ten or even fifteen minutes later when our continued discussion about this crazy pilot was broken by the distant sound of another open exhaust airplane approaching! Would "this" be the first person to arrive at the first RV fly-in? You can't imagine our dismay when the same red white and blue RV-6 landed for the second time, taxing up to the same spot on the ramp, shutting down with the canopy opening the same habitual way and the pilot in the most serious way asking, "What did you say the name of this town was boys?" Both John and I under our breath said the same thing, "Really? You've got to be kidding!" John kindly responded, "Burlington, Colorado!" The pilot was now climbing out of his beautiful RV as he said, "This looks to be a mighty fine town. I think if you boys don't mind, I'll just stay here a couple days.."

Who was one of those instrumental in getting the Land of Enchantment Fly-in started? Who holds the title to being the first person to arrive at the first RV Fly-in? Who can claim title to being the second person to land at the first RV Fly-in?

You see, Red Marron holds the title to all.... What an introduction John and I had to such a great man that found positive fun in everything he did and touched. I am so honored to have known Red and can call him my friend...

And now you all know the rest of the story.

Jim Baker
jimmyB
RV-6
 
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Great mentor

I met Red early in my interest in RV's. Flew with a friend to the fly in at Las Cruses. His enthusiasm for our passion of RV's was unequaled. He will be missed.
 
Mel, I am sorry not to have ever met your friend Red.

I feel for your loss. I am sure that he was a #ell of a great guy!

:( CJ
 
What a first impression!

I first met Red Marron while I was building my tail kit. I had asked around and found the phone numbers of a few RV folks in my area, and through those contacts was invited to go to lunch with a few of them (this list of numbers ended up becoming the start of the RV White Pages). Red flew into Lakeview airport near Lake Lewisville to pick me up in his RV-6, then we proceeded on to Duncan, OK for BBQ. I think the restaurant ended up being closed and we all rode in the back of a pickup truck somewhere else. It was a long time ago and memory fails…

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Funny #1 was the steak tongs Red kept hanging off the base of the control stick w/a piece of yarn – he used them to pick things up off the floor when he dropped something in the plane. #2 was the Tums, and Pepto and other stuff in the side pocket of the cockpit. I’ll never forget the quirkiness, and originality of that moment. I’m grinning even now typing it up.

After lunch we took off for home. Funny #3, he asked me if I had my pilot’s license yet. Yes. OK, you fly. Follow those planes for a while…….and he was snoring in less than 60 seconds. God as my witness. Sixty seconds.

There are literally dozens of stories like this his friends tell.

Years later when my RV was flying, I had the pleasure of staying at Red’s house at the Casas Adobes Airpark (32.811216, -107.934904) just south of Mimbres, NM for a night on the way up to Homecoming. Beautiful setting. Amazing stargazing. The house had tile flooring, and Red’s snoring on the other side of the house….closer to screaming actually….was so loud my passenger (Scott) and I ended up grabbing our sleeping gear and going out into the hangar. We still laugh about that.

‘Force of Nature’ and ‘Larger than Life’ are cliché, but do somewhat describe the great Red Marron. He championed the hobby, and made a VERY big impression on this younger RVator.

At the LOE’06 Las Cruces gathering, Red, knowing I was a space fan, arranged for me to get a tour of Frank Borman’s hangar. That tour was conducted by Frank Borman, who I later had the good fortune of driving around the ramp in a golf cart for judging. This all happened because of Red Marron.

If you saw a guy in a Lazy Boy on an old flatbed truck at a fly-in, it was Red. You don’t forget seeing something like that. It makes an impression.

RedChair.jpg

That man, this wonderful man, lit an RV fire under a LOT of people, and it burns bright and hot to this day. Well done, Red.

The world just got a little less interesting. Men like Red are hard to come by.

There should be a Red Marron Memorial RV Fly-in….and I suspect there will be.

Rest easy my friend. You are truly missed.​
 
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Red

Red was a big voice. Lots of enthusiasm and support. Met him at my first EAA Chapter 168 meeting, June 1995. We have flown many many miles together.
We were at the last Vans Home Coming at Sunset Airpark. All but the first Birlington, Co Fly Ins, I missed it.
When Red moved to Membres, NM. A lot of us started flying out there. I remember one time our host DR was with us and a rain squall almost caused Doug to declare a missed approach,,,, Red talked him down, Saying something like come on down the waters fine.
Red we love being around you and you will be missed.
Thanks for the memories
 
Now I have to tell the story of how Red got into this "RV" stuff.

In the late 1980s Red, Ann and I flew pretty much everywhere in Red's Hawk XP. And I must admit, as has been reported, Red always got in the back seat and told Ann and me to work out the flying between the two of us. Within minutes he was sound asleep.
Now Red and Ann shared the January 9th birthday so we always went out to celebrate dinner. On one of those nights Red and I had been talking about how much we liked the RV-4 but we wanted a side-by-side. Well the RV-6 kit had just become available, so at this particular birthday dinner, I suggested that we might order 2 kits and build them in my garage. I thought Red would say, "Sounds like a good idea. Let's talk about it."
What he actually said was, "You recon it's to late to call Van tonight?"

Well we called Van the next morning and talked to him for about 45 minutes. The kits were ordered and the rest is history.
 
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From Larry Vetterman

"We were at Vans homecoming at sunset air park and Red and I were having a good time meeting and talking to a lot of RV guys that had just landed. All of a sudden another RV-6 landed with a USAF thunderbird paint scheme. No big deal but that is the paint scheme Red had on his RV. Well ol Red looked at me and said "I'm gonna go talk to that guy that copied my paint scheme. He appeared to be a little upset about the whole thing. So we ambled over to the guy, who is now getting out of the -6. Red said "I'm just curious about your thunderbird paint scheme and why you copied mine and then pointed to his -6 setting a short distance away. The guy straightened up, looked at Red right in the eye and said, "I painted my RV that way because I was a thunderbird at one time in my career. Red kinda stuttered a little and said "no s**t, don't I feel like the dumb a** here. He then extended his hand and said "I'm Red Marron and I'm glad to meet you. Those two got along great and became good friends. Red told me he made a number of flights to Florida to visit him. It always impressed me how Red was able to turn a negative situation around so quickly and make it positive. Yep, he was one of a kind."

Larry V.
 
Condolences to Red's friends and family. I'd never heard of him before today. Sounds like I missed a lot.

RIP, Red.
 
How I Met Red

I met Red (and probably Mel too) at the Trinity Center airport in northern California on the way to a Van's homecoming in 1990 (maybe 91?). The group Red was with needed to make an "end run" on some wx by taking a bit of a southern detour via central/northern cali and stopped in at the Trinity Center airport to spend the night before continuing on their way.

I was pretty much a "newbie" then with a recently completed -4, and was flying with my "mentor" in his second 4, and we too were stopping at Trinity for the night. When we saw the other RV's there we set out to find the pilots - met Red, and his group and began an acquaintance that lasted until I last saw him at the final LOE at Santa Teresa, NM (Dona Ana County - 5T6).

Red never met anyone who wasn't already his friend.

David Howe
 
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2005 LOE Fly-In

You meet just a few people in your life who are individuals unlike anyone else you have met. Red was certainly one of those. Huge, powerful personality. I won't forget him.
 
Well said

P1010125%252520%2525281%252529.jpg

2005 LOE Fly-In

You meet just a few people in your life who are individuals unlike anyone else you have met. Red was certainly one of those. Huge, powerful personality. I won't forget him.

very well said Larry!

About a dozen or so of the RV community attended Red's funeral Sat afternoon. A lot of memories surfaced during discussions after the service. RIP Red, see you on the other side.
 
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Many years back Jay introduced me to Red at LOE, He was a great guy and one of those people you never forget. He was a great ambassador for this this hobby of ours and will be missed.
 
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